Two million more men employed than women in South Africa in Q2, 2023
Category: Economics and employment
Date: 21 August 2023
Date: 21 August 2023
|
While there will always be some form of inequality in the labour/jobs market, be it age groups, race groups or gender, the jobs inequality along gender lines are extremely unequal with the latest quarterly labour force statistics (QLFS) showing that there are two million more men employed in South Africa than women, yet women make up a bigger part of the overall population in South Africa
|
|
Equality in the job market still eludes women in South Africa
South Africa celebrates Women’s Month in August. 9 August commemorates the women’s march of 1956, a protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women, which sought to control rather than empower them. The 2023 theme for Women’s Month, ‘Accelerating Socio-Economic Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment’, calls for the heightening of socio-economic programs and activities across different economic sectors to create more employment opportunities for women. However, the labour market in South Africa remains more favourable to men than women, revealing large gender gaps in employment.
This is not unique to South Africa. Globally, workplace disparities between men and women continue to exist. Labour-force participation rates amongst women remain lower than men and women are also less likely to find work than men.
Women and young people fare worse in labour markets globally, often bearing the brunt of inequalities in labour markets. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2023, South Africa’s labour force participation rate increased to 59,6% in the second quarter of 2023 from 58,6% recorded in the second quarter of 2022, an increase of 1 percentage point year-on-year. The labour force participation rate for women stood at 54,3% compared with 64,9% for men, a gap of 10,6 percentage points. Only 54,3% of women of working age in South Africa participate in the labour force either as employed or looking for work. The female labour force participation rate has seen an increase over 10 years by 4 percentage points from 50,3% in Q2:2013 to 54,3% in Q2:2023. However, women remain less likely to participate in the labour force compared to men.
In Q2:2023 the labour force participation rate was highest among South Africans aged 35 to 44 years (78,8%); young people aged 15-24 had the lowest labour force participation rate at 27,2%. The labour force participation rate for women was largest in the age group 35-44 at 72,7%; this, however, is 12 percentage points less than that of men in the same age group. Across all age groups, women are less likely to be in the labour force compared to men. The largest labour force participation gap was in the age group 45-54 at 15,5 percentage points. Female labour force participation showed an increase in all age groups between Q2:2022 and Q2:2023.
-Source, Statistics South Africa
This is not unique to South Africa. Globally, workplace disparities between men and women continue to exist. Labour-force participation rates amongst women remain lower than men and women are also less likely to find work than men.
Women and young people fare worse in labour markets globally, often bearing the brunt of inequalities in labour markets. According to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey for the second quarter of 2023, South Africa’s labour force participation rate increased to 59,6% in the second quarter of 2023 from 58,6% recorded in the second quarter of 2022, an increase of 1 percentage point year-on-year. The labour force participation rate for women stood at 54,3% compared with 64,9% for men, a gap of 10,6 percentage points. Only 54,3% of women of working age in South Africa participate in the labour force either as employed or looking for work. The female labour force participation rate has seen an increase over 10 years by 4 percentage points from 50,3% in Q2:2013 to 54,3% in Q2:2023. However, women remain less likely to participate in the labour force compared to men.
In Q2:2023 the labour force participation rate was highest among South Africans aged 35 to 44 years (78,8%); young people aged 15-24 had the lowest labour force participation rate at 27,2%. The labour force participation rate for women was largest in the age group 35-44 at 72,7%; this, however, is 12 percentage points less than that of men in the same age group. Across all age groups, women are less likely to be in the labour force compared to men. The largest labour force participation gap was in the age group 45-54 at 15,5 percentage points. Female labour force participation showed an increase in all age groups between Q2:2022 and Q2:2023.
-Source, Statistics South Africa