Family and Economic Policy in a Context of Changing Gender Roles Gretchen Donehower University of California at Berkeley Project Director, Counting Women’s Work The Tenth Meeting of the Working Group on Macroeconomic Aspects of Intergenerational Transfers Beijing, China Friday, November 14, 2014
Changing Gender Roles and Policy • Context of rapid change – More educational equality – Rising female labor force participation – Lower fertility – Changing cultural expectations
• Policy responses – Labor force policies to accommodate/encourage women in the workforce – Family policy around care for dependents – Educational policy
Measuring Men and Women in the Economy • Policy development and analysis requires data and measurement • Example of National Transfer Accounts, measures the generational economy • Build gender into the NTA framework to measure how men and women, and girls and boys, participate in the economy
Example: Gender and Market Labor Difference includes impacts of differential
Labor Income (United States, 2009) 80,000 Male
70,000 60,000
US$
50,000 40,000
Female
30,000 20,000 10,000
0 0
10
20
30
40 Age
50
60
70
80
• Labor force participation • Hours worked, full time vs. part time work • Educational and occupational distribution • Wages
Example: Gender and Market Labor Female Labor Income / Male Labor Income 1.2
Female YL / Male YL
1.0
0.8 0.6
US
0.4 0.2
0.0 20
25
30
35
40 45 Age
50
55
60
65
Example: Gender and Market Labor Female Labor Income / Male Labor Income 1.2
Female YL / Male YL
1.0
0.8
China
0.6
US
0.4 0.2
0.0 20
25
30
35
40 45 Age
50
55
60
65
Example: Gender and Market Labor Female Labor Income / Male Labor Income Germany
1.2
Female YL / Male YL
1.0
0.8
Philippines
China
0.6
US
0.4
Vietnam
Costa Rica
Uruguay S. Africa
Cambodia
0.2
India
0.0 20
25
30
35
40 45 Age
50
55
60
65
Example: Gender and Market Labor Policy Relevance:
Female Labor Income / Male Labor Income Germany
1.2
Female YL / Male YL
1.0
0.8
Philippines
China
0.6
US
0.4
Vietnam
Costa Rica
Uruguay S. Africa
Cambodia
0.2
India
0.0 20
25
30
35
40 45 Age
50
55
60
65
• Equity – differentials due to institutional bias? • Efficiency – is society able to realize the benefit of investment in human capital? • Future change – will younger cohorts have higher LFP?
Example: Realizing a Gender Dividend India
Change in the support ratio (producers/consumers) from 2012 to 2050 if Female Labor Income Age Profile:
Uruguay Argentina
Mexico
Remains Constant Converges by Half
United States Costa Rica China -0.5 0.0 0.5 1.0 Annualized Change in Support Ratio (%)
What is missing? • Work is more than just market work • Total work – Market work – Unpaid care and housework
• Dynamics of house- and care-work impact policies related to: – Women’s labor force participation – Education – Child health and development
www.countingwomenswork.org
www.countingwomenswork.org
EVERYONE’S
www.countingwomenswork.org
EVERYONE’S
www.countingwomenswork.org
Consider all work 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
Males, Mexico 2002 Hours Per Week
Hours Per Week
Females, Mexico 2002
Unpaid Care and Housework Market Work 0
10
20
30
40 50 Age
60
70
60 50 40 30 20 10 0
80
0
10
60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0
10
20
30
40 50 Age
30
40 50 Age
60
70
80
60
70
80
Males, US 2009 Hours Per Week
Hours Per Week
Females, US 2009
20
60
70
80
60 50 40 30 20 10 0 0
10
20
30
40 50 Age
Include all care Expenditures on Infants, Percent Non-Market Time Mexico
Uruguay
United States
Germany 0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
The market and the household • Measure flows of market goods and services by age and sex (sex-specific NTA) • Count “women’s work”: measure unpaid housework and childcare services produced in the household – Identify time spent in unpaid housework and care in time use survey data – Value time by a replacement wage
Gender in the Market Mexico, 2005 Value / Average Labor Income Age 30-49
1.4
Male, Labor Income
1.2 1.0
Consumption
0.8 0.6
Female, Labor Income
0.4 0.2 0.0 0
10
20
30
40 50 Age
60
70
80
Gender in the Household Mexico, 2005 Value / Average Labor Income Age 30-49
1.4 1.2 1.0
Consumption
Female, Time Production
0.8 0.6
Male, Time Production
0.4 0.2 0.0 0
10
20
30
40 50 Age
60
70
80
Value / Average Labor Income Age 30-49
The Total Economy Mexico, 2005 2.0
Male, Total Production 1.5
Consumption 1.0
Female, Total Production
0.5
0.0 0
10
20
30
40 50 Age
60
70
80
Policy relevance • Potential for gender dividend and policy to realize it – Must understand care needs and impacts on women’s wellbeing
• Future needs of the care economy – As more women participate in market work – As population shifts to more elderly, fewer children
• Cross-country comparison reveals links between institutions, gender, and time use • Highlight need for data on time use
