Levers for a low unemployment rate: in "fend yourself" economy the Democratic Republic of Congo

This work rigorously explores the identification of levers for a low unemployment rate in a "fend-for-yourself" economy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Based on the neo-Keynesian vision, this quantitative research was framed within a hypo-deductive paradigm using logistic and ARDL modeling. After investigation, the logistic estimates reveal the following: beyond qualification and experience, which limit access to formal salaried employment, age, sex, marital status, place of residence, dependency ratio, the need to ensure social security, and the nature of employment explain the extent of the "fend-for-yourself" economy with a probability of 96.9%. The derisory nature of wages encourages households toward multiple activities and the emergence of independent economic activities beyond the informal sector. Estimates from the ARDL method showed that the "fend-for-yourself" economy acts as a shock absorber for unemployment in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. However, it is imperative to conduct public policies of industrialization, mechanization of agriculture, and the implementation of incentive and employment mechanisms.