The determinants of women's work: A case study from three urban low-income communities in Amman, Jordan

This study addresses the determinants of women's economic activity in three low-income communities in Amman, Jordan. In the Arab Middle East, where women's work for remuneration is a relatively recent phenomenon, labor statistics only measure female labor force in the formal sector of the labor market. These statistics fail to capture the scope and magnitude of women's economic activity. Where women's economic activity outside the home is still considered secondary to the array of their reproductive and home-related activities, the underlying thesis is that cultural factors play an important role in shaping their decisions to work. A sample of 435 adult women, aged 15 years and over were interviewed. Three surveyors were trained to thoroughly probe and depict all types of economic activity for the purpose of raising cash, be it in the formal or the informal sectors of the labor market. A nested logit model was employed. The first step assessed the effects of demographic and socio-economic variables on women's employment status. The second step added cultural variables to the model to determine women's decisions to work in or outside the home. Each run segregated women by marital status, with the pooled sample using marital status as a predictor variable. The results indicated that age and marital status, presence of a resource person to help with child-care, and total household income are significant variables. In the second step of the nested logit model, education significantly influenced women's work outside the home. Segregation (a cultural variable that represented a constraint to women's work in a mixed environment) was also significant. Policies and programs that seek to increase female employment need to be aware of the cultural and demographic (fertility-related) considerations. Particular attention should be given to developing local child-care facilities. This will enable mothers to work outside the home and create child-care jobs within the community. Because some women will still desire to only work at home, due to cultural barriers, agencies need to be established to provide marketing channels for such activities.