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The gender gap in paid and unpaid work along the life cycle: The role of household arrangements

Author

Listed:
  • Gemma Abio

    (Universitat de Barcelona)

  • Ció Patxot

    (Universitat de Barcelona)

  • Elisenda Renteria

    (Centre d’Estudis Demogrà fics (CED))

  • Guadalupe Souto

    (Autonomous University of Barcelona)

  • Tanja IsteniÄ

    (University of Ljubljana)

Abstract

We examined how men and women in Spain contribute to market and nonmarket production and share it among household members in various living arrangements, considering the role of partnership and parenthood status. Extending the National Transfer Accounts method, our results show that women produce more in the market at the beginning of the life cycle, but when they become a couple or have children, they focus on nonmarket production, widening the gender gap. Men have relatively stable market production whether they are fathers or not. Moreover, when living alone, men are able to produce the housework they consume. However, when they live together in a couple (without children), their household production decreases and their consumption increases at the expense of the transfers from their partner. Parenthood has a positive effect on men’s care work, but overall, women spend more time on paid and unpaid work combined, regardless of living arrangements.

Suggested Citation

  • Gemma Abio & Ció Patxot & Elisenda Renteria & Guadalupe Souto & Tanja IsteniÄ, 2024. "The gender gap in paid and unpaid work along the life cycle: The role of household arrangements," UB School of Economics Working Papers 2024/464, University of Barcelona School of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:ewp:wpaper:464web
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2445/214876
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Elisenda Rentería & Rosario Scandurra & Guadalupe Souto & Concepció Patxot, 2016. "Intergenerational money and time transfers by gender in Spain: Who are the actual dependents?," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 34(24), pages 689-704.
    2. Bernhard Hammer & Alexia Prskawetz, 2022. "Measuring private transfers between generations and gender: an application of national transfer accounts for Austria 2015," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 49(3), pages 573-599, August.
    3. Berenice Monna & Anne Gauthier, 2008. "A Review of the Literature on the Social and Economic Determinants of Parental Time," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 634-653, December.
    4. Lili Vargha & Róbert Iván Gál & Michelle O. Crosby-Nagy, 2017. "Household production and consumption over the life cycle: National Time Transfer Accounts in 14 European countries," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(32), pages 905-944.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    National Transfer Accounts; unpaid work; gender; family;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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