Authors

Catherine Mata, Marya Hillesland, Leanne Roncolato

Keywords

time use; gender division of labor; households; work; Costa Rica

Abstract

Using Costa Rica’s annual nationally representative household survey, Encuesta Nacional de Hogares (ENAHO), this study explores how household income and poverty are associated with gender differences in time spent on unpaid housework and caregiving in Costa Rica, 2011- 2014. We find a considerable difference in men’s and women’s average time spent in unpaid work, with women dedicating considerably more time. While women's time in unpaid work is weakly linked to household income, men exhibit a stronger negative association between income and unpaid work, albeit with minimal differences in magnitude across income brackets. When individual and household characteristics are considered, men’s and women's estimated time allocation remains relatively consistent across the income distribution, suggesting insensitivity to variations in income or poverty status. Gender disparities persist regardless of income quintiles, poverty levels, age, and household structures. These findings underscore the stark contrast in time allocation between genders, emphasizing the need for further examination of societal norms and structural factors shaping unpaid labor dynamics.