Forced Displacement, Gender, and Livelihoods: Refugees in Ethiopia

This study uses the Ethiopia Skills Profile Survey (2017) to examine the gender differences in livelihood opportunities and activities between refugees and host communities. The results show a significant gender gap in participation in the labour market where refugee and host women are less likely to have employment, and that household characteristics influence women’s economic opportunities. While having a female household head, access to agricultural land, and additional female adults increase both refugee and host female’s participation in economic activities, higher numbers of children in the household significantly reduce refugee women’s opportunities. In addition, higher educational attainment boosts both male and female refugees’ participation in wage employment. Among refugees, both female and male Somali refugees have relatively better access to employment opportunities compared to other refugee groups, especially refugees from South Sudan and Sudan.