Purpose This study investigates the determinants of employment in Burkina Faso, with a particular focus on gender disparities. Despite the country’s economic growth, unemployment and underemployment remain pervasive, disproportionately affecting women and youth. The study aims to explore how factors like education, technology access and early marriage influence employment for men and women. Design/methodology/approach Using data from the 2018 Integrated Household Living Conditions Survey, the study employs a binary logistic regression model to examine employment. Key variables include gender, education, mobile phone ownership, internet access, early marriage and rural residency. The analysis also explores the impact of marital status and disability on labor market engagement. Findings Women are found to be 92.3% less likely to participate in the labor market compared to men. Education and access to technology positively influence employment for both genders. Early marriage and rural residency reduce women’s labor market engagement, while marriage increases employment for men. Disability significantly hampers men’s labor market activity, but not women’s. Social implications The study highlights the need for policies focused on promoting education and technology access, addressing early marriage and improving work–life balance. These measures are essential to empower women economically and create more inclusive labor market opportunities, particularly in rural areas. Originality/value This research adds to the literature on gender disparities in employment by providing insights into the specific barriers and drivers affecting women’s employment in Burkina Faso, a context that has been understudied in global labor market research. Peer review The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-09-2024-0803.
Dembele et al. (2025) studied this question.