Psychology News
Researchers at the Universities of East Anglia (UEA), Birmingham and Brunel, explored how women’s unpaid household work increases the gender pay gap worldwide. The study is published in the journal Feminist Economics.
The Study
The research team analyzed data from the Young Lives project that followed the lives of 12,000 participants (aged 8–22 years) from Ethiopia, India, Peru, and Vietnam. Factors like gender-specific employment participation, paid and unpaid labor, types of employment and wages, etc. were examined.
The Findings
The results revealed that unpaid chores in childhood, especially by girls and women, are greatly associated with a wider gender-pay gap, reduced educational and employment opportunities, and fundamental inequalities (like access to water and sanitation, etc.).
Women, especially from a young age, do the lion’s share of domestic work for no pay and this sets them back for life, depriving them of adequate financial resources and opportunities for greater well-being.
One of the lead researchers, Professor Shireen Kanji, elaborated: “It seems that in comparison to men, women’s employment is likely to be driven to a greater extent by lack of choice or by need, and is characterized by fewer opportunities for well-paid, higher-quality employment.”
Appropriate Measures
The researchers are enthusiastic that the study can help formulate effective policies and legal measures that address gender inequality associated with household work in childhood and unpaid chores.
To Know More You May Refer To
Carmichael, F., Darko, C., Kanji, S., & Vasilakos, N. (2022). The Contribution of Girls’ Longer Hours in Unpaid Work to Gender Gaps in Early Adult Employment: Evidence from Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam. Feminist Economics, 1–37. https://doi.org/10.1080/13545701.2022.2084559