Breadwinners and Caregivers
Gender norms are often emphasized to help explain gender gaps in the labor market. This paper examines global patterns of gender attitudes and norms toward the stereotypical gender roles of the male breadwinner and female caregiver, and broad support for gender equality in opportunities, and studies their relationship with economic behavior. Using data collected via Facebook from 150,000 individuals across 111 countries the paper explores how gender beliefs and norms are related to labor supply, household production, and intrahousehold decision-making power within a country. The paper provides descriptive evidence that the more gender equitable or counter-stereotypical are beliefs and norms, the more likely women are to work, the more time men spend on household chores, and the higher the likelihood of joint decision-making among couples. The findings suggest an underestimation of the support for gender equality globally and the extent of underestimation varies by gender and region. The paper concludes with a discussion of potential entry points for policy to help address gender norms.
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Washington, DC: World Bank
2024-02-01
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| Subjects: | GENDER GAP, GENDER GAP IN THE WORKFORCE, DIVISION OF LABOR, HOUSEHOLD MAINTENANCE, GENDER AND EMPLOYMENT, AFRICA GENDER POLICY, GENDER INNOVATION LAB, WOMEN AND PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT, WOMEN AND SOCIAL NORMS, |
| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/099821402012437374/IDU1bf06cd191699f1462f18236168ed5e5295bf https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/40999 |
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