Gender Inequality Nexus in Employment: A Content- and Consistency-based Analysis of Female Labour Participation in the Civil Service

Gender inequality is of utmost concern to development and feminist researchers around the world for its inimical implication on economic development and women empowerment. The study explores the nexus between gender disparity issues and the factors in which they strive. The study utilised content and consistency analytical approach to analyse the subjective experiences, opinions and perceptions of 27 civil servants in the Nigerian civil service. Semi-structured interview questions were administered to the participants that were selected using a convenient sampling technique. The findings show that marriage and childbearing are more significant in the number of gender disparity issues imposed on women while the operational structure of the civil service, sex appeal as a criterion for employment, culture and tradition impose a wider magnitude of gender disparity on women, but less significant when compared with marriage and childbearing. The study concluded that gender inequality distorts the amount of human capital available to the civil service as it disempowers women and deprives them of the opportunity to explore their potential and participate in full capacity.