Gender inequality in the labor market in Spain in times of global health crisis

Abstract

Introduction. This article makes a recent review of the progress towards gender equality in the workplace, considering that this is one of the objectives of sustainable development and its progress or stagnation is of national and international interest, especially in times of crisis. Objective. The objective is to contrast the recent and current evolution (pre and pandemic) of the labor market in Spain, identifying features or characteristics that perpetuate gender inequalities, from a feminist view of the economy. Methodology. Using microdata from the Economically Active Population Survey (EPA), a quantitative analysis is carried out which includes the characterization of the labor market since the year prior to the pandemic and the study of distribution, concentration and gender segregation, for which the Duncan and Karmel and Machalan methods are used. Results. The assignment of gender roles in reproduction and production continues to affect the functioning of the labor market, perpetuating gender segregation and making it impossible to eliminate differences; the crisis tends to affect women first, and to a greater extent, given the characteristics of their occupations. Contribution. It highlights the need to generate public policies for the elimination of segregation and to prepare women for the global transformation that the pandemic has accelerated.