adminAbel Zhakata Senior Reporter
THE informal sector is contributing 14 percent to the country’s six million employed population, with the bulk of them operating at home, a recently published labour force survey report has revealed.The 2014 Labour Force and Child Labour Survey estimated the Zimbabwe population at 13,4 million of whom 58 percent represented the working age population whose age range from 15 years and above.
“Out of the working population age, 91 percent were economically active which means that the country had a labour force participating rate of 91 percent,” reads the report.
It indicated that 81 percent of the working age population was employed with Mashonaland Central and Matabeleland North provinces with the highest employment to population ratio at 93 percent each.
“Sixty-seven percent of the currently employed population was in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector with 83 percent of them unskilled. Eighteen percent reported working excessive hours while 13 percent were in precarious employment. The share of women in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector was 37 percent while the share in senior and middle management was 24 percent.
“Close to 4 percent of currently employed population were members of an active employee association.”
The report also stated that of those employed 18 percent reported that they were working for long, excessive hours.
When coming to the informal sector, the report excluded domestic workers as well as workers in communal farms.
The report showed that the sector contributed 14 percent to the employed population.
“There were more females than males in the informal sector employment. Sixty-one percent of the informal sector employees were in wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles. The largest percent of informal sector employees operated in their own homes with 13 percent working excessive hours.”
It also revealed that 27 percent of the people in the sector had completed Form 4 as their highest level of education.
Eighty-six percent of persons in informal employment were unskilled. Sixty-five percent of the currently employed population in informal employment were skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers.
“A majority of persons in informal employment were in the wholesale and retail trade, repair of motor vehicles and motor cycles industrial sector.
“Generally, the number of people in informal employment getting higher income has increased.”
The number of “strictly” unemployed people stood at 314 000, while 799 000 were “broadly” unemployed.
“The strict unemployment rate stood at 4,8 percent compared to 11,3 percent of broad unemployment rate. It also came out that time-related underemployment rate was 16 percent. About 165 00 of the currently inactive persons were discouraged job seekers.
“There were 2,6million youth population aged 15-24 years and 4,5 million youth population aged 15-34 years. For the youth aged 15-34 years who are economically active, 3,4 million were employed, 2,6 million youth were in vulnerable employment.
“For the youth aged 15-34 years, who were economically active, 3,4 million were employed and most of them skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers.
“Of the employed, 2,6million youths were in vulnerable employment. For the youths aged 15-34 years, 15,3 percent were unemployed while 19 percent were discouraged job seekers.”
Online Reporter