ABSTRACT

This paper uses a unique survey conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey to analyze men’s and women’s time use under lockdown. The study finds that while men’s participation in unpaid work increased, particularly for men who switched to working from home, the relative increase for women further widened the gender gap in unpaid work. The gender gap in paid work narrowed due to relatively less employment disruption for women and a relatively higher decrease in men’s paid work. The total workload of employed women reached levels that make it hard to sustain a decent work–life balance. Disparities in unpaid work among women by education and employment status decreased, reflecting how purchasing power became somewhat irrelevant under the pandemic measures. These findings unveil simultaneously the fragility of the work–life balance conditions faced by employed women and a window of opportunity created by men’s increased participation in unpaid work.

HIGHLIGHTS

• During the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey, women’s unpaid work time almost doubled, while men’s quadrupled.

• Women experienced lower employment disruption and less decrease in paid work time than men.

• Employed women saw an alarming intensification in their overall workload.

• Men’s unpaid work increased substantially due to working from home and lower employment hours.

• COVID-19 has highlighted the need for work–life balance policies and for investment in social care.

摘要

本文使用了在土耳其发生COVID-19大流行期间进行的独特调查，以分析锁定状态下男女的时间使用情况。该研究发现，尽管男性参与无偿工作的人数有所增加，特别是对于那些在家中转行工作的男性，但女性的相对增长进一步扩大了无偿工作中的性别差距。有薪工作中的性别差距有所缩小，这是因为妇女的就业中断相对较少，而男子的有酬工作减少幅度较大。受雇妇女的总工作量达到了难以维持体面的工作与生活平衡的水平。妇女在受教育程度和就业状况方面的无偿工作差距有所减少，这反映出在大流行性措施下购买力如何变得无关紧要。

强调

• 在土耳其发生COVID-19流行病期间，女性无偿工作时间几乎翻了一番，而男性却翻了两番。

• 与男性相比，女性受到的就业干扰更少，带薪工作时间的减少更少。

• 就业妇女的整体工作量激增到令人震惊的程度。

• 由于在家工作和减少工作时间，男性的无薪工作大大增加。

• COVID-19强调了工作与生活平衡的政策以及对社会护理的投资的必要性。