The Effect of Gender Inclusivity in Education and Employment on Economic Growth in Kenya

Abstract

Gender inclusivity is the idea that all privileges and services are available to everyone regardless of sexual disposition (United Nations, Gender-inclusive Language). It is the availability of all resources and opportunities to everybody, irrespective of their biological structure as male or female. Including females in education and employment has benefited the economy over time, both directly and indirectly. Gender inclusivity in education improves economic growth through increased human capital, work, and reduced fertility rates, translating to a low population. On the other hand, gender inclusivity in employment improves economic growth by increasing labor force and productivity. The vector error correction model was for analysis. The paper used time-series data from 1982 to 2022 on GDP per capita, investments, population growth rate, employment, gender parity in primary and secondary education, government spending on education, fertility rate, gender parity in labor force participation rate, and net exports. The study showed the direct effects of gender inclusivity on economic growth by analyzing how each independent variable predicts economic growth. The second step explained the indirect effects of gender inclusivity on economic growth. The paper described how human capital and gender gaps in education affect economic growth through investments, population growth, fertility rate, and employment rate in a 'path analysis' technique. This work was based on endogenous growth theories, which propose that innovation and human capital investments can lead to increased productivity and economic growth. The findings indicated that gender inclusivity in education and employment improved growth in the long run, both directly and indirectly. The indirect effects of gender inclusion in education and employment were greater than the direct effects, showing that improving gender inclusion in Kenya will have a snow balling effect on economic growth over time.