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Copyright of African Journal of Reproductive Health is the property of Women's Health & Action Research Centre and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study investigates the development of vulnerable employment in 43 sub‐Saharan African countries by using yearly data for 1996–2018 period. The paper first outlines the main factors and discusses the issue from the perspective of developing countries, and then constructs a panel data elasticity model. The model expands the economic growth framework further and assesses the effects of rurality, sectoral composition, demography, and the quality of economic and political institutions. Prais–Winsten robust estimation results for the expanded model show nonindustrial employment to be the main source of vulnerable employment. Additionally, the increase in urban population share is found to have a positive impact, while nonemployed population is negatively associated. The results also show that upper‐middle income countries differ from low and lower‐middle income groups with regard to the significance of economic and political institutions. These findings clarify the prominence of the Sustainable Development Goals policy agenda and gradual reform strategies beginning with economic quality toward improvement of political institutions. At the end, we highlight several policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why is there a significant gender gap in the global labor force participation? Is there a way to reduce vulnerable employment? May cultural values explain the gender gap in employment and male-dominant work structure? This research examined the associations between Hofstede’s culture dimensions (including power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, and long-term orientation) and gender gap in employment indicators (women’s and men’s labor force participation and vulnerable employment rates) after controlling the economy. Secondary data were obtained from Hofstede’s culture dimensions and World Bank databases. When the countries with missing data are excluded, remaining data of 60 countries make up the data set of the study. Two-step hierarchical regression analyses were performed, in which economic development was entered in the first step and study variables were included in the model in the second step. The main results indicated that after controlling economic development, women’s labor force participation rate was negatively related to country scores on uncertainty avoidance. In contrast, men’s labor force participation rate was negatively associated with country scores on power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance. Besides, both women’s and men’s vulnerable employment rates were negatively related to country scores on individualism. The fact that more women and men participate in the labor force in countries with low power distance and uncertainty avoidance can be interpreted as women’s labor force participation creates new job opportunities that both women and men benefit from. The results may be useful for researchers who aim to see the current gender-based labor force participation patterns in different countries and understand the culture dynamics of economic gender gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper estimates the scale of the possible impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the Russian labor market and household incomes. We consider vulnerable employment, which includes workers with increased risks of job loss, wage cuts and other negative events that reduce labor incomes. The analysis shows that every second Russian worker can be classified as vulnerable employee. The highest risks for reducing labor incomes as a result of the epidemic are faced by young people, workers with a low level of education, as well as residents of regional centers. About a third of vulnerable employees experience complex vulnerability, i.e. meet several criteria of vulnerability. A decrease in labor incomes could also affect the wealth of about 40% of Russian households. The worst situation is for younger families, whose incomes are much more dependent on the labor market. Most of the households in which vulnerable workers live do not receive social benefits, and therefore it would be rather difficult for them to count on prompt assistance from the social protection system. Currently Russia is actively developing a set of measures to support employment. In particular, government decided to provide support for the most affected by COVID sectors, the size of unemployment benefits has been increased for citizens who have lost their jobs due to the epidemic. However, it is obvious that this list should be extended and account for various forms of deterioration of employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reproductive health and employment are inextricably linked for women. Across the globe, women are the primary caretakers of children, and a woman's reproductive years tend to overlap with her economically productive years. Planned and unplanned pregnancy and childbearing affect women's ability to pursue different types of economic opportunities and even the choice of sectors in which they seek to work. This study explores the timing and sequencing of policy to address reproductive health needs and to strengthen labor market institutions and social protection, illustrated by case studies from six developing countries – Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, South Africa, the Philippines, and Vietnam – which have similar demographic transitions but divergent labor market outcomes for women. The findings suggest that where fertility transitions have been sharpest, this has not automatically translated into more employment and better labor market outcomes for women – illuminating a critical role for policy to support women's transition into formal employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many urban residents have recently lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has made employment vulnerability in cities attained attention. It is thus important to explore the relationship between urbanization and employment. This study quantitatively analyzes spatiotemporal evolution and data correlation of urbanization and vulnerable employment, and explores the role urbanization plays in vulnerable employment by using historical data on 163 countries in the period 1991–2019 to test the theoretical hypothesis. The results show: It's clearly observed that there is a high correlation between the rate of urbanization and that of vulnerable employment, and the examples of G7 and BRICs are for it. The estimated urbanization yields a negative and statistically significant regression coefficient (−0.168), indicating that urbanization has a negative effect on vulnerable employment. If the urbanization rate increased by 1 %, the rate of vulnerable employment decreased by 0.168 %. The rural–urban sector conversion and changes in employment relationship driven by urbanization account for this. Countries with different income groups or populations have reacted differently to the rise in urbanization. Vulnerable employment in higher-income countries has been more significantly affected by the rise in urbanization, and more populous countries are more sensitive to it as well. These findings provide evidence for how urbanization promotes employment and decent work. • A theoretical framework identifying what the relationship of urbanization and vulnerable employment is. • A high correlation between urbanization and vulnerable employment is well presented in data correlation. • Empirical evidence on the role urbanization plays in vulnerable employment and the negative relationship confirmed. • Fine distinctions in urbanization effects on vulnerable employment affected by wealth level and labor supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Conditional on individual and household characteristics, women are 7 percentage points more likely to be in vulnerable employment than men. • Across developing countries, the gender gap is smaller in richer countries, with lower fertility rates, and more gender-egalitarian laws. • At the micro-level, the experiences of marriage and parenthood are important drivers of the gender gap. • Current levels of the gender gap in vulnerable employment are almost entirely unexplained by standard labour supply factors. This paper investigates gender inequality in vulnerable employment: forms of employment typically featuring high precariousness, inadequate earnings, and lack of decent working conditions. Using a large collection of harmonized household surveys from developing countries, we measure long-term trends, describe geographical patterns, and estimate correlates of gender inequalities in vulnerable employment. Conditional on individual and household characteristics, women are 7 percentage points more likely to be in vulnerable employment than men. The experiences of marriage and parenthood are important drivers of this gender gap. Across countries, the gender gap is smaller in richer countries, with lower fertility rates, and more gender-egalitarian laws, particularly those laws regulating marriage, parenthood, access to assets, and access to entrepreneurship. Since the 1990s, rising levels of female education and rapidly falling fertility have pulled women away from vulnerable employment at a faster rate than men. However, that process is largely exhausted, with current levels of the gender gap in vulnerable employment being almost entirely unexplained by standard labour supply factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]