Policy Brief No. 94 of 2019-2020 on Closing the Gender Productivity Gap in Kenya's Informal Sector

Abstract

Advancing gender equality in the labour market is critical to enhancing productivity. Historically, labour market structures have led to unequal distribution of opportunities and resources, leaving women disadvantaged, which in turn has created a gender productivity gap. A World Bank survey on informal enterprises in Kenya and the 2016 MSME survey reveal that women-owned enterprises have lower productivity compared to men-owned enterprises in the informal sector. Bridging the gender productivity gap is therefore critical for Kenya’s economic growth, which can only be possible if the labour market fosters gender equality, empowering both genders to be productive...