Abstract:
This study examines the prevalence of female participation in labour market activities
and investigates the role played by education in this participation. Using the 2015/16
Botswana Multi Topic Household Survey data and a multinomial logit model, the
study found that women with tertiary education are more likely to be wage employed
relative to self-employment, whereas those with lower to no education are more
likely to be unemployed or out of the labour force. This is because higher education
is normally considered a prerequisite for most wage jobs. It is therefore imperative
for the government to continue educating women beyond secondary level as it will
better equip them to participate in more meaningful labour market activities. On the
other hand, there is need to stimulate the demand side of the labour market in order
to accommodate the rising numbers of women with high levels of education. In order
to encourage participation of women in high rewarding self-employment activities,
there is need to intensify empowerment schemes that are largely oriented towards
their self-employment.
