Female Labor Force Participation, Infrastructure, and Sectoral Value Additions in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Abstract The contribution of women to nation-building has been well-documented. However, existing studies have focused on the drivers of female labor force participation without examining how their participation in the labor market impacts various sectors of the economy. In addition to examining the unique effects of female labor force participation on sectoral value additions in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), this chapter investigates the role of domestic infrastructure in mediating the relationship between female labor force participation and sectoral growth. Utilizing annual panel data spanning from 1990 to 2017 for 33 countries in SSA, we find that, while female labor force participation positively affects sectoral value additions, its effect is only significant for the service sector, which is further magnified by well-developed infrastructure.