Gender Convergence in Paid work, but Not in Care activities: Evidence from the Colombian National Time Use Surveys

This paper examines gender differences in paid work, unpaid work, and care activities among Colombian couples using three Colombian National Time Use Surveys (2012-2013, 2016-2017, and 2020-2021). The analysis focuses on households in which both partners can be identified, both are active in the labour market, and comparisons can be made across urban and rural areas, as well as between households with and without children aged 0-12. Descriptive evidence based on mean equality tests and Seemingly Unrelated Regression (SUR) estimates reveals persistent gender specialization within Colombian households. While gender gaps in paid work narrowed over the period studied, differences in unpaid work remained largely unchanged. In addition, gender inequalities in care activities increased significantly among urban households with children during the period that includes the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that the progress observed in gender gaps in time devoted to paid work has not been matched by an equivalent redistribution of domestic and care responsibilities.