Determinants of employment among women in Uganda
Abstract
Background: worldly, it is regrettable that there hasn't been more research on women's unemployment because this leaves a gap in our knowledge of the effects of what has been shown to be a stressful life event. Generalizing the results of studies pertaining to men to women may not be accurate. Over the course of their lives, women often interact with the job market in a more complex way than the males. Methods: The study involved quantitative analysis of Uganda Demographic and Health Survey (UDHS) data of 2016. A total of weighted sample of 18506 women aged 15–49 were included in our analyses. I examined the association between women employment and independent variables using binary logistic regression analysis. The results are presented using odds ratio (OR), with their respective confidence intervals (CIs). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of women employment in Uganda was 73.1%. Residence, age, marital status, number of children, having children, and religion were all significant predictors of women's employment in Uganda. Women in all the age categories, most especially those aged 45-49 are 5.5 times more likely to be employed [OR=5.529, CI=1.698- 2.233] than women in age group of 15–19 years. Likewise, those who are married are 1.0 [OR=2.004, CI=1.698- 2.233)] more likely to be employed than women in other marital status. Conclusions: The findings of the study on predictors of women employment among women highlight the need to supplement women empowerment programs (WEP) and interventions in order to promote employment among women in Uganda.