Inequality between men and women has a cost of 100,000 million

Inequality between men and women has a cost of 100,000 million

If the more than 400,000 women who work part-time to be able to reconcile would lengthen their journey, they could generate an additional 12,000 million

   The evident gender gap that still exists in Spain and that will take years to close - as much as more than 200 years, according to a report by the World Economic Forum - has a high cost not only social but also economic: more than 100,000 million euros per year is the impact of this inequality between men and women, according to a report published today by ClosinGap and developed by the Afi consultancy.

   How do you get to estimate this amount? According to the study, which is based on data published by the OECD and the INE, Spanish women devote an average of almost two hours a day more than men to perform household chores and family care. If this inequality were eliminated, they would have 49.5 million more hours each day. What Afi has done is analyze what would be the cost of outsourcing these services, which has given them a value of more than 100,000 million euros, the equivalent of 8.9% of GDP or what three major sectors contribute together: construction, banking and insurance.

In addition, if these works that today are not remunerated will be listed and, in turn, taxed by them, the Public Administrations would enter an amount close to 39,659 million euros, which would mean ending the hole that has the system of pensions (with a deficit of 19,000 million last year).

But this greater responsibility that women have in family care has a negative impact on the labor market, since some of them choose to totally or partially renounce their career, mainly after being mothers. Thus, one in four works part-time (24.2%, according to 2017 figures), a percentage that triples the rate of men (7.3%). And the reason why one in five women is only partially occupied is to be able to combine time with home and family care. In total, there are more than 400,000, which if they extend their day to approach 40 hours of work per week, could generate an additional 12,000 million euros for the Spanish economy, which would mean 1.1% of GDP, as the report highlights.

But in addition they are the ones who opt, generally, for taking a permit for the birth of children and leave to care for relatives. Once these permits are finalized, 8.3% of these workers, about 7,000, leave the labor market totally or partially every quarter, causing an opportunity cost of 40 million hours not worked per year; this prevents generating 1,280 million euros, 0.12% of GDP in 2017.

35 days of school gap
The report points to long working days in Spain as one of the main causes that prevent conciliation. In this sense, 40% of the employed - men and women - have a split schedule with two hours dedicated to food, a Spanish singularity with respect to the countries of the European environment. This means one hour less time available each working day for those who have that schedule, which means that they stop enjoying 1.706 million hours of free time per year.

At the same time, the lack of synchronization between work and school calendars translates into a gap of 35 working days for about 50% of Spanish households -those with minor children-, which means seven weeks in which children have no They go to school but they do require adult care.