Unemployment rate in Rwanda is slightly declining
UR=Unemployment rate, EPR=Employment to population Ratio, LFPR=Labour Force Participation Rate
In past two years (2017 and 2018), the unemployment rate in Rwanda is slightly declining while the employment to population and Labour force participation Rate is increasing.
Unemployment rate decreased by 0.7 percentage points from 16.7 in February 2017 to 16.0 percent in February 2018 and by 3.4 percentage points between August 2017 and August 2018. Round to round comparison shows a decline of 1.1 percentage points from 17.8 percent in August 2017 to 16.0 in February 2018.
The employment to population ratio which is the proportion of Labour force (Either employed or unemployed) to the working age population, increased from 41.1 percent in August 2016 to 47.3 percent in August 2018. Labour force participation rate follow the same patterns as Employment to population which may be due to the change in age structure or other socio economic effects.
From August 2016 NISR revised and published all Labour Force Survey (LFS) with the international standards on statistics of work, employment, and labour underutilization adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (Geneva, 2013) and designed a survey that includes seasonally adjusted estimates from August 2016. Labour Force Survey (LFS) is a household-based sample survey conducted by National Institute of statistics of Rwanda (NISR). It collects data on the labour market activities of individuals aged 14 years and above who live in ordinal household. However, this article only covers labour market activities of persons aged 16 years and above.
By MUKUNDABANTU Jean Marc, Labour Statistician