THE WOMEN EMPLOYMENT IN ERITREA – REFLECTIONS FROM PRE AND POST-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD

Rena, Ravinder (2007): THE WOMEN EMPLOYMENT IN ERITREA – REFLECTIONS FROM PRE AND POST-INDEPENDENCE PERIOD. Published in: The Indian Journal of Labour Economics , Vol. 50, No. 2 (June 2007): pp. 357-370.

Abstract

The role of Eritrean women in thirty years war of independence brought major changes and reflects in the present demography and economy of Eritrea in the development arena. Their participation in the economy contributes to local production and income by filling the gaps left by men who died in the war or who have left the country and settled in different parts of the world. Despite the growing importance of women for the formal economy, jobs and self-employment opportunities available to women are still clustered in low-productivity and/or low-status industries. To cope with the growing number of female-headed households, Eritrea needs to increase the earning potential of women. This paper indicates that providing women with education at secondary or tertiary level is one way to go. This paper deals with, why Eritrean women are entering into the labour markets: one, family ties and control of women is weakened due to absent men and increasing divorce rates. The second, there is a shortage of male breadwinners. The third, growing education levels increase their earning potential.

• Item Type: MPRA Paper
• Language: English
• Keywords: Eritrea, Women employment, Empowerment, Economic development, education
• Subjects: J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J13 - Fertility ; Family Planning ; Child Care ; Children ; Youth; I - Health, Education, and Welfare > I3 - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty > I31 - General Welfare, Well-Being; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J0 - General > J01 - Labor Economics: General; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J12 - Marriage ; Marital Dissolution ; Family Structure ; Domestic Abuse; A - General Economics and Teaching > A1 - General Economics > A10 - General; J - Labor and Demographic Economics > J1 - Demographic Economics > J16 - Economics of Gender ; Non-labor Discrimination

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