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The COVID-19 pandemic and government measures can have far-reaching consequences for the position of working men and women. Due to the complexity and abruptness of the crisis, it is not clear whether existing gender inequalities will increase or decrease. A team led by sociologist Mara Yerkes from Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� and Chantal Remery from Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� School of Economics is currently investigating this. They survey more than 900 households consisting of two-income households with children.

Faced with greatest demand for care

"The data collection lasts until April 28 and consists of a set of questions that we developed together with researchers from the UvA and Radboud ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��," says Chantal Remery. “We responded to a call from for research related to the COVID-19 crisis and our proposal was selected. This gave us access to the LISS panel, a representative reflection of the population register of CBS. We ask that panel things like: what is happening in your work? Have you been fired? Have you been working on location or especially at home since the crisis? What happens at home? How do you divide work and time? How is your work-life balance? We are focusing on a selection of the LISS panel, a group of two-income households with children under the age of 18 who are confronted with the greatest demand for care. ”

Paid and unpaid labour

In the "one and a half earner" model that still prevails in the Netherlands, men more often than women continue to work full-time when children come. "That creates inequality," says Remery. "The distribution of paid and unpaid work between men and women is a multidisciplinary issue, which we are particularly good at investigating in this COVID-19 study."

COVID-19 provides a unique snapshot with daycare and schools closed and many women working in crucial, vital professions.

It is a unique snapshot because the daycare and schools are closed and grandparents are no longer careful. In addition, many women work in crucial professions such as care, education and cleaning. On the one hand, the crisis could result in a reaffirmation of the caring role of women at home. On the other hand, this can lead to a less traditional distribution because men start to care more. They have to because their wife works in a vital profession, or see more of what needs to be done at home now that they are working from home. ”Weerbare samenleving

The results of the study will be published in a policy brief and after study Mara Yerkes, Chantal Remery and their colleagues hope to delve deeper into specific themes. "We want to look, for example, at the influence of dismissal, how it is in professions at the bottom of the labour market, how it is in vital occupations and how changes in childcare work on gender inequality."

"Economic inequality, the future of work and contributing to a resilient society are central themes within the Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ�� School of Economics, and there is often cooperation with other faculties of Utrecht ľ�ϸ���Ӱ��," says Remery. “In the corona crisis, this multidisciplinary collaboration is even more important. We need to find a new balance on a macro level and we hope to contribute to this through our research. ”