A Gender-based Investigation into the Determinants of Labour Market Outcomes: Evidence from Uganda

Abstract

The under-utilisation of female labour in Uganda and other Sub-Saharan African countries is increasingly being stated as the next major obstacle to furthering poverty reduction and development in the region. Despite this, only a handful of papers have looked at labour supply issues for this region. This paper seeks to fill this gap. Here we use nationally representative household data from Uganda to model labour market outcomes for a representative sample of working aged individuals. We find that not only does ill health have a negative effect on an individual's decision to participate, it also acts as a constraint to participation in wage employment. In addition and perhaps more worryingly, the consequences of periods of ill health are greater for women than men.