Persistent Gender Inequality and Use of Time in Spain

Gender relations are essential for understanding the future of formation and breakup of couples and their fertility rates in the western world. Recent theoretical arguments postulate that transition to better gender symmetry should stimulate couple formation and fertility, giving as an example the recovery of fertility in some Scandinavian countries. In this context, the progressive increase in educational levels and presence of women in the workforce should encourage the transition. Nevertheless, several studies suggest that gender inequalities in the distribution of uses of time still persist, and tend to increase after children are born. In this number of Perspectives Demogràfiques, we offer a detailed examination of gender differences with regard to uses of time in Spain, doing so with attention to people’s family situations and, where couples are concerned, the position of women by comparison with men in terms of educational level and contribution to household income. Using data from the 2009-2010 Time Use Survey (Spanish National Statistics Institute – INE), we analyse the time spent on a daily basis by men and women in their routine activities at different stages of their life cycle. Notable among the main conclusions is the fact that inequality between men and women occurs in childhood, and the birth of children is the main factor widening the gap. Gender inequalities persist, although not with the same magnitude, even in cases where women have a higher educational level and larger income than their partners.