ECS2604
ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE: 1 APRIL 2026
SEMESTER 1 2026
,ECS2604 Assignment 2 2026
DUE 1 APRIL 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 Briefly explain the factors that led to the rise in women's workforce
participation in South Africa over the past three decades.
The increase in women's labour force participation in South Africa over the past three
decades can be attributed to several interrelated factors:
Declining fertility rates: The total fertility rate in South Africa has declined
substantially from an estimated 6.7 children per woman in the 1960s to approximately
2.4 in 2016 (Study Guide, Learning Unit 2, p. 28). This decline has enabled more
women to participate actively in the labour market for longer periods of their lives.
Higher educational attainment: According to the prescribed textbook (Chapter 2), the
labour force has become more educated, with the proportion of workers having at
least Grade 12 increasing from 34% in 1995 to nearly 50% in 2016. Women have
particularly benefited from improved access to education.
Improved social and economic status: The improving social and economic status of
women, increasing living standards, and higher urbanisation rates have made
significant contributions to the reduction in fertility rates and consequently increased
women's ability to participate in formal employment (Yu and Roos, 2018: Chapter 2).
, Changing social norms and legislative framework: The post-1994 democratic
dispensation introduced policies and legislation that promote gender equality in the
workplace, including the Employment Equity Act, which prohibits discrimination and
promotes equal opportunities for women.
Economic pressures: The need for additional household income, particularly in the
context of high unemployment rates and poverty, has encouraged more women to
seek employment.
(References: Study Guide, Learning Unit 2, pp. 24-26; Yu and Roos, 2018, Chapter 2)
ASSIGNMENT 2 2026
DUE: 1 APRIL 2026
SEMESTER 1 2026
,ECS2604 Assignment 2 2026
DUE 1 APRIL 2026
QUESTION 1
1.1 Briefly explain the factors that led to the rise in women's workforce
participation in South Africa over the past three decades.
The increase in women's labour force participation in South Africa over the past three
decades can be attributed to several interrelated factors:
Declining fertility rates: The total fertility rate in South Africa has declined
substantially from an estimated 6.7 children per woman in the 1960s to approximately
2.4 in 2016 (Study Guide, Learning Unit 2, p. 28). This decline has enabled more
women to participate actively in the labour market for longer periods of their lives.
Higher educational attainment: According to the prescribed textbook (Chapter 2), the
labour force has become more educated, with the proportion of workers having at
least Grade 12 increasing from 34% in 1995 to nearly 50% in 2016. Women have
particularly benefited from improved access to education.
Improved social and economic status: The improving social and economic status of
women, increasing living standards, and higher urbanisation rates have made
significant contributions to the reduction in fertility rates and consequently increased
women's ability to participate in formal employment (Yu and Roos, 2018: Chapter 2).
, Changing social norms and legislative framework: The post-1994 democratic
dispensation introduced policies and legislation that promote gender equality in the
workplace, including the Employment Equity Act, which prohibits discrimination and
promotes equal opportunities for women.
Economic pressures: The need for additional household income, particularly in the
context of high unemployment rates and poverty, has encouraged more women to
seek employment.
(References: Study Guide, Learning Unit 2, pp. 24-26; Yu and Roos, 2018, Chapter 2)
