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Motherhood and flexible jobs

Author

Listed:
  • Inés Berniell

    (CEDLAS/UNLP)

  • Lucila Berniell

    (CAF)

  • Dolores de la Mata

    (CAF)

  • María Edo

    (Universidad de San Andrés)

  • Mariana Marchionni

    (CEDLAS/CONICET)

Abstract

We study the causal effect of motherhood on labour market outcomes in Latin America. We adopt an event study approach around the birth of the first child based on panel data from national household surveys for Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay. Our main contributions are: (i)providing new and comparable evidence on the effects of motherhood on labour outcomes in developing countries; (ii) exploring the possible mechanisms driving these outcomes; (iii) discussing the potential links between these outcomes and the prevailing gender norms and family policies in the region. We find that motherhood reduces women’s labour supply in the extensive and intensive margins and influences female occupational structure towards flexible occupations— part-time work, self-employment, and informal jobs—needed for family–work balance. Furthermore, countries with more conservative gender norms and less generous family policies are associated with larger differences between mothers’ and non-mothers’ labour market outcomes.

Suggested Citation

  • Inés Berniell & Lucila Berniell & Dolores de la Mata & María Edo & Mariana Marchionni, 2021. "Motherhood and flexible jobs," Working Papers 93, Red Nacional de Investigadores en Economía (RedNIE).
    • Handle: RePEc:aoz:wpaper:93
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    File URL: https://rednie.eco.unc.edu.ar/files/DT/93.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Martina Querejeta, 2022. "Impact of female peer composition on gender norm perceptions and skills formation in secondary school," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2022-28, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • 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
    • J46 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Informal Labor Market

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