Why is maternal employment higher in rural than in urban India? Among the relevant supply-side factors, previous research has emphasized that rural work is more compatible with childcare. Results from the Indian Time Use Survey of 2019 show that hours of active maternal childcare are only slightly lower in rural areas, but the temporal and spatial flexibility of paid employment is much greater, making it easier for mothers to accommodate childcare responsibilities. In particular, rural women's work affords them greater access to flexible hours and the ability to work in close proximity to the home. Consequently, the negative effects of motherhood on employment are significantly greater for urban women than for rural women. This finding cannot be explained by rural–urban differences in household structure or resource constraints. These results redirect attention from average levels of time use towards a more nuanced analysis of sequence, timing, and opportunities for joint production or multitasking.

中文翻译：

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它需要一个村庄：印度的儿童保育和妇女的有偿就业

为什么印度农村的孕产妇就业率高于城市？在相关的供给侧因素中，以往的研究强调农村工作与育儿更加契合。2019 年印度时间使用调查的结果显示，农村地区积极的孕产妇育儿时间仅略低，但有偿就业的时空灵活性要大得多，使母亲更容易承担育儿责任。特别是，农村妇女的工作使她们有更多机会获得灵活的工作时间和在家附近工作的能力。因此，孕产对就业的负面影响对城市女性来说明显大于对农村女性的影响。这一发现不能用家庭结构或资源限制的城乡差异来解释。