## Informality and Gender Gaps Going Hand in Hand

_IMF Working Papers, May 23, 2019_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Informality and Gender Gaps Going Hand in Hand](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/05/23/informality-and-gender-gaps-going-hand-in-hand-46888)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/05/23/informality-and-gender-gaps-going-hand-in-hand-46888/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/05/23/informality-and-gender-gaps-going-hand-in-hand-46888/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/05/23/informality-and-gender-gaps-going-hand-in-hand-46888/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Vivian Malta, Lisa L Kolovich, Angelica Martinez, Marina Mendes Tavares
- Published: May 23, 2019
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781498314718.001

---

### Overview
- Publication type: IMF Working Papers
- Authors: Vivian Malta, Lisa L Kolovich, Angelica Martinez, Marina Mendes Tavares
- Date: May 23, 2019
- Core observation: In sub-Saharan Africa women work relatively more in the informal sector than men.
- Hypothesized explanatory factors reported: women’s lower education levels, legal barriers, social norms, and demographic characteristics.
- Cross-country evidence: Cross-country comparisons indicate strong associations between gender gaps and higher female informality.

### Key findings (from microdata analysis for Senegal)
- In urban areas, being a woman increases the probability of a worker being informal by 8.5 percent.
- Education is usually more relevant for women in affecting informality outcomes.
- Having kids reduces men’s probability of being informal but increases women’s probability of being informal.

### Context and methods
- Empirical approach: Uses microdata from Senegal to assess the probability of a worker being informal.
- Regional focus: sub-Saharan Africa with a detailed case study on Senegal.

### Subject areas and keywords
- Subject: Education, Gender, Gender inequality, Informal employment, Labor, Women
- Keywords: account worker, family worker, Gender Gaps, Gender inequality, informal economy, Informal employment, informal worker, labor force, paid worker, Senegal, Senegalese worker, sub-Saharan Africa, sub-Saharan Africa country, Women, working man, working woman, WP

---

## Content in this bundle

- **Working Paper**
  - [Working Paper (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wpiea2019112.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Working Paper (PDF)](/-/media/files/publications/wp/2019/wpiea2019112.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

---

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2019/05/23/informality-and-gender-gaps-going-hand-in-hand-46888_