Occupational Sex Segregation in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Insights from the 2001 Census

Sangeeta Parashar, University of Maryland

In South Africa, institutionalized apartheid exacerbated inequities in labor force outcomes, not just between the various races (Africans, Whites, Coloureds, and Asian-Indians), but also between the sexes. However, empirical knowledge of occupational sex segregation remains somewhat scant. Using the 2001 Census, I will analyze occupational segregation by sex in South Africa. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to describe the separate, and then interacting, roles of gender and race in determining an individual’s placement in gender segregated/integrated occupations, and 2) to analyze the micro- and macro-level determinants (e.g. human capital, family structure, local labor market characteristics) influence an individual’s placement in gender segregated/integrated occupations across different geographical areas.