Indicators concerning the total economically
active population aged 15 or over have been compiled by the International
Labour Office (ILO). Data shown are for the latest year for which
data are available. The first indicator is the economic activity
rate, defined as the proportion of the population aged 15 or over
who furnish, or are available to furnish, the supply of labour
for production of goods and services in accordance with the System
of National Accounts. The second indicator is the percentage of
women among the total labour force.
Issues concerning statistics on economically
active women are discussed in the box entitled "Concepts
related to the labour force" in chapter 5 of the report The
World's Women 2000, and in a box entitled "Counting economically
active women" in The World's Women 1970-1990: Trends and
Statistics. The definition of the economically active population
provided by the ILO comprises all employed and unemployed persons,
including those seeking work for the first time. it covers employers
operating unincorporated enterprises, persons working on their
own account, employees, contributing family workers, members of
producers' co-operatives and members of the armed forces. In principle,
a person who performs such work for as little as one hour per
week is considered economically active. ILO's recommended definition
also accounts for production of primary products, such as foodstuffs,
fetching/transporting water and collecting firewood for own consumption.
Certain other non-monetary activities---e.g. construction, major
repair and renovation of owner-occupied dwelling---are considered
economic activity and persons engaged in such production are regarded
as economically active.
Specific elements of the standard concepts differ
substantially from country to country (e.g., the choice of reference
period and the determination of minimum hours of work and unpaid
family work, including production for own consumption), and these
differences may result in underestimation of women's participation
in economic activity. Moreover, censuses and surveys are seldom
conducted regularly and the results in developing regions become
available only after several years. Stereotypes held by census
and survey interviewers and respondents' own perceptions about
what does or does not constitute economic activity may also lead
to errors in the reporting and recording of the economic activity,
resulting in underestimation of women's economic activity. In
addition, in many countries, women are engaged predominantly in
those economic activities that are the most difficult to measure,
such as subsistence production and informal sector or home-based
work.
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