Women’s participation in the labour force has been linked to economic development, financial independence and greater gender equality. Despite increased opportunities for women to participate in South Africa’s labour market, challenges remain. Women continue to face unemployment, unequal pay and a disproportionate responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work, which can hinder their full economic participation. Differences in access to opportunities between urban and rural areas also make it important to understand what influences women’s participation in the labour force.

A research study funded by the NRF investigated the determinants of female labour force participation in South Africa, with particular emphasis on differences between urban and rural areas. The researchers examined the relationship between women’s labour force participation and socio-economic factors such as age, education, marital status, household size and household income.

To achieve the research aim, the researchers analysed data from the 2017 National Income Dynamics Study (NIDS). The study focused on 13,993 women aged 15–65 years, including 7,332 women living in urban areas and 6,661 in rural areas. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine factors associated with women’s labour force participation. For the study, the labour force included working-age women who were either employed or unemployed and actively seeking work.

The study found that 50.21% of women were part of the labour force. Participation differed considerably by geographical location, with 55.77% of urban women participating compared with 40.29% of rural women.

Age and education emerged as important predictors of labour force participation. Women aged 35–44 years had the highest participation rate at 72.61%. Education showed particularly strong differences: 80.01% of women with tertiary education participated in the labour force, compared with 16.43% of women with no schooling. Regression analysis similarly showed that women with tertiary education had substantially higher odds of participating than women with no education.

Household size was also associated with women’s participation. Women living in households with 10 or more members were 48% less likely to participate in the labour force than those living in households of one to three people.

The study also revealed differences in occupations held by men and women. Women accounted for 61.93% of professionals and 69.08% of clerical support workers. In contrast, men accounted for 70.29% of skilled agricultural, forestry and farming workers and 91.20% of plant and machine operators.

The study concludes that greater attention should be given to women who are less educated, particularly those living in rural areas. The researchers emphasise the importance of improving educational attainment and encouraging women’s economic participation, particularly in rural communities, to promote economic growth, gender equality and employment equity.