Social Interactions and Women’s Labor Market Outcomes in Kenya

Beatrice Mbinya, University of Nairobi
Kefa Simiyu, University of Nairobi

We analyze labor market participation and income among 15-49-year-old women in Kenya. Covariates are number of sexual partners, marital status, post-secondary school training, and Program. Program separates direct beneficiaries of Free Elementary School Education from non-beneficiaries. We utilize 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey in fuzzy regression discontinuity design. We test for robustness using quantile regression at 10th, 50th, and 90th labor income quantile. Program participation raises single years of schooling by 4-5months but does not affect labor incomes significantly. Women’s labor incomes decline significantly among women in 50th labor income quantile. Post-secondary training significantly raises labor incomes. The longer the period woman spends furthering studies beyond grade 12, the fewer sexual partners. Reductions in women’s earning due to non-husband sexual partners are driven by unmarried women. We recommend Government of Kenya and its developmental partners invest in enhancing enrolment and completion of further studies, notably; college, TVET, and university.