The Effect of Female Labor-force Participation on Fertility: Evidence From Kenya

Abstract

Researchers, policy makers and development partners have increasingly advocated female labor-force participation as a driver of fertility transition, a crucial factor in simulation models for assessing fertility reduction scenarios and a major ingredient for achieving the window of opportunity for economic growth within which developing countries like Kenya can harness the demographic dividend. The objective of this research project was to analyze the effect of female labor-force participation on the fertility outcomes of Kenyan women of reproductive age. The study utilized cross-sectional representative data from the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey of 2014. The main method of data analysis was descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The results showed that female labor-force participation had a negative effect on fertility. The main policy implications is that government should prioritize policies and investments to improve women’s human capital and prioritize job creation