Gender Gaps in Housework Activities in Europe before and after COVID-19

Abstract

We use data from the European working condition survey to describe the frequency of housework activities by men and women before and after the COVID-19 pandemic in European countries. We find that, although women continue to spend more time than men in housework activities, men increase housework activities after the pandemic and the gender gaps narrow. The result is driven by countries initially characterized by larger gender gaps in housework activities.