Hours of Peace: Youth Gender Roles, Labor Participation, and Care Time Reallocation Following the 2014 Ceasefire in Colombia

This study examines how a major reduction in violence, Colombia’s 2014 ceasefire with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC-EP), shaped the way young people allocate their time. Using a difference-in-differences strategy and nationally representative data from the Encuesta Nacional del Uso de Tiempo (ENUT), linked to municipal-level conflict exposure, we study changes in daily activities among youth aged 14 to 28. Results show that the cessation of violence led to a substantial increase in time devoted to caregiving, and a notable rise in labor market participation, particularly among young women, accompanied by reductions in time spent sleeping. The ceasefire also contributed to a more equitable distribution of household responsibilities, with men increasing their participation in domestic work. Notably, these effects are concentrated among individuals from more advantaged households, suggesting that socioeconomic disparities may moderate the benefits of peace efforts. We explore potential mechanisms, including forced migration, household composition, and local economic activity. The results are time-sensitive and remain robust even when accounting for selective migration patterns. The findings highlight time use as a key behavioral margin through which peace agreements can affect economic and social outcomes, and offer actionable insights for postconflict policy design.