Current Status of and Future Current Status of and Future Directions for Statistics on Directions for Statistics on

Women, Work and Poverty Women, Work and Poverty

Joann VanekJoann VanekDirector of StatisticsDirector of Statistics

Women in Informal Employment: Globalising and Women in Informal Employment: Globalising and Organising (WIEGO)Organising (WIEGO)

Key findings on women, work and Key findings on women, work and poverty from WIEGO’s analysis of poverty from WIEGO’s analysis of

data for several countries for data for several countries for UNIFEM/ UNDP/ILO UNIFEM/ UNDP/ILO Progress of Progress of

the World’s Women 2005the World’s Women 2005

Key findings - 1Key findings - 1

• There are multiple dimensions of gender There are multiple dimensions of gender inequality – in terms of both segmentation, inequality – in terms of both segmentation, average earnings, and poverty risk - among average earnings, and poverty risk - among workers including: workers including: • between formal/informal employmentbetween formal/informal employment• across employment statusesacross employment statuses• within given employment statuseswithin given employment statuses

Key findings - 2Key findings - 2

• Women are concentrated in the more Women are concentrated in the more precarious forms of employment with low precarious forms of employment with low earningsearnings

Key findings - 3Key findings - 3

• But poverty rates are also often lower But poverty rates are also often lower among women, compared to men, within a among women, compared to men, within a particular employment category - this is particular employment category - this is because the poverty rate (i.e., likelihood of because the poverty rate (i.e., likelihood of being from a poor household) depends on being from a poor household) depends on whether the woman is a secondary, primary, whether the woman is a secondary, primary, or single earner.or single earner.

Key findings - 4Key findings - 4

• Understanding employment/poverty Understanding employment/poverty linkages requires analysis of individual linkages requires analysis of individual employment status and earnings, employment status and earnings, household income and intra-household household income and intra-household dynamicsdynamics

FRAMEWORK FOR BACKGROUND INDICATOR - MDG # 3

GENDER DIFFERENCES IN THE STRUCTURE OF EMPLOYMENT

Row Women Men 0 Share in total employment (Both sexes = 100.0 %) % %

1 Total Employment 100.0% 100.0%

2 Agricultural Employment % %

2.1 Own-account workers, employers & members of producers’ cooperatives

%

%

2.2 Contributing family workers (informal) % % 2.3 Employees % % 2.3.1 Formal % % 2.3.2 Informal % %

3 Non-Agricultural Employment % %

3.1 Own-account workers, employers & members of producers’ cooperatives

%

%

3.1.1 Formal % % 3.1.2 Informal % % 3.2 Contributing family workers (informal) % % 3.3 Non-domestic employees % % 3.3.1 Formal % % 3.3.2 Informal % % 3.4 Domestic employees % % 3.4.1 Formal % % 3.4.2 Informal % % 3.I Formal Non-Agricultural Employment

(3.1.1 + 3.3.1 + 3.4.1) % %

3.II Informal Non-Agricultural Employment (3.1.2 + 3.2 + 3.3.2 + 3.4.2)

% %

Future Directions for Gender Future Directions for Gender StatisticsStatistics

• Employment: map the labour force by formal/informal, Employment: map the labour force by formal/informal, status in employment, agriculture/non-agriculture and sexstatus in employment, agriculture/non-agriculture and sex

• Earnings: develop statistics on earnings of the self-Earnings: develop statistics on earnings of the self-employed as well as wage-employedemployed as well as wage-employed

• Poverty: go beyond female-headed households to look at Poverty: go beyond female-headed households to look at the poverty risk (i.e. likelihood of being from a poor the poverty risk (i.e. likelihood of being from a poor household) associated with different categories of household) associated with different categories of employment by sex employment by sex

• Time use: provide a comprehensive view of all forms of Time use: provide a comprehensive view of all forms of work - both market and non-market - to shed light on the work - both market and non-market - to shed light on the linkages between the two and the family division of labourlinkages between the two and the family division of labour