Claudia Liceth Fajardo Hoyos

University of Cauca,

Popayán, Colombia

E-mail: cfajardo@unicauca.edu.co

ORCID 0000-0001-9279-5266

Effect of home care activities on labor participation in a developing country

Jhon James Mora Rodríguez

University of ICESI,

Cali, Colombia

E-mail: jjmora@icesi.edu.co

ORCID 0000-0002-9974-1874

Abstract. This article analyzes the differences in labor participation due to home care activities in Colombia. Indirect and direct care activities can be inside or outside the market sphere. For example, a domestic service worker provides indirect and, sometimes, direct care services. A high percentage of care activities are delegated to women because these tasks are supposedly proper for their gender and are a natural part of their daily lives. To understand the disadvantaged position of women in the labor market, their participation in unpaid work must be considered. Our results show that gender stereotypes continue to overburden Colombian women in unpaid activities. Variables such as age, schooling, sex, and household headship are relevant when direct and indirect caregiving activities are included in the analysis of labor participation.

Received: May, 2023

1st Revision: February, 2024

Accepted: March, 2024

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2024/17-1/7

JEL Classification: J01, J16, J22

Keywords: care economy, labor participation, unpaid activities, use of time, biprobit model