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Co-resident and absent mothers: Motherhood and labour force participation in South Africa

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  • Dorrit, Posel
  • Gabrielle, van der Stoep

Abstract

The effects of motherhood on women's labour force participation are estimated usually for mothers who are co-resident with their children. This paper, however, shows that a co-residency requirement upwardly biases the negative effects of motherhood in a country where labour force participation includes (temporary) migration to places of employment. In contrast to co-resident mothers in South Africa, not co-resident mothers are significantly more likely to be labour force participants. The selection on co-residency, which excludes mothers who are labour migrants, therefore overestimates the negative relationship between motherhood and labour force participation. We find also that women who are not biological mothers are significantly less likely to be labour force participants if they live in households with children, consistent with the foster age of children in extended households.

Suggested Citation

  • Dorrit, Posel & Gabrielle, van der Stoep, 2008. "Co-resident and absent mothers: Motherhood and labour force participation in South Africa," MPRA Paper 52907, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:52907
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ingco, Katrina Nicole & Pilitro, Ver Lyon Yojie, 2016. "Stuck at a Crossroad: A Microeconometric Analysis of Fertility and Married Female Labor Force Supply in the Philippines," MPRA Paper 73351, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Rachel E. Goldberg, 2013. "Family Instability and Pathways to Adulthood in Cape Town, South Africa," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 39(2), pages 231-256, June.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour Force Participation; Mothers; Childbearing; South Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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