"Men To Work And Women To Serve..." Differences Between Working Boys And Girls In Mexico

• In Event: Mundos del Trabajo y Género

Abstract

In this paper we analyze child labor from a gender-based perspective. When analyzing child labor, gender has always been used as a dichotomous independent variable, and the way in which different control variables or income influence each gender separately has never been analyzed. Our hypothesis is that household composition influences the odds of work for boys relative to girls differently. Previous research has underscore that being male or female generates important differences in the probability of working, especially when domestic work is integrated and unpaid work observed. Our main aim is to further understand the gender variations that result from variations associated with prejudice based on gender. Logit and OLS regression models show important differences between boys and girls, confirming the hypothesis that household composition influences the odds of work for boys relative to girls differently, and that girls’ participation in the labor market is influenced by the socially accepted belief that women should be working at home and taking care of children. They also show that gender disparities occur at all levels of well-being, but are more strongly marked among less educated parents and in poorer households.

Authors

• Patricia Murrieta Cummings, Universidad de Guadalajara

• Leonardo A Gatica Arreola, Universidad de Guadalajara