Impact of Unrecognizing the Value of Women’s Unpaid Care Work

“Gender Equality in China's Economic Transformation” was published October 2014 and was the collaborative efforts of UN Women, UN Systems in China and experts from Peking University and National Women’s University. It covers gender issues in the labor market during China’s economic transformation and the causes of gender disparity and inequality in three selected areas: employment opportunities, income and unpaid labor. 

First, gender inequality has a negative effect on labor force participation and human-resource utilization. Nowadays, more and more women in China have equal access to higher education and professional education. However, it is particularly difficult for female college graduates to enter into the male-dominated industries or administrative level positions, and women tend to retire 5 to 10 years earlier than men, which is a huge waste of high-level female human resources. Gender inequality also exacerbates the wealth gap in China and may result in unequal access to education and employment opportunities, especially for women living in rural areas, areas with high poverty rates, or ethnic minority areas.

Second, gender inequality causes a loss to human development, as high as 40%in China, according to the report. Certain Chinese laws and policies, such as different retirement ages for male and female civil servants, current rural land policies, economic policies and maternity leave policies, showcase the lack of a female perspective and impede women’s survival and development. Gender inequality cultivates Chinese people’s son preference, intensifies the unbalanced sex ratio at birth in China and damages social justice and sustainable development.

Third, gender disparity in the labor market and the underestimation of unpaid care work worsen gender inequality within families. The double burden from work and family also impedes Chinese women’s social development, yet the government and the society do not advocate that men and women should bear family and social responsibilities together. Reform of the pension system, increasing childbearing responsibility, higher cost of childrearing, insufficient public services, and changes in individual ideologies have shaken the tradition of raising children to provide old age support. There is a trend toward late marriage, late childbirth, and even voluntary childlessness in the urban areas. Meanwhile, corporate culture, policy orientation, and a faster life pace have produced negative consequences on the time availability and care quality of elderly care work inside families, which further amplify women’s care work.

Fourth, the social status and educational ideologies of the parents affects their children’s views on issues like competence of men and women and gender equality. One study examined the relation between girls’ evaluation on women’s capacity for scientific research, and their parents’ educational attainment. The study found that girls whose fathers were leaders or managers were most likely to agree that men were better than women in their capacity for scientific research, while girls whose mothers were leaders or managers were least likely to agree. Their evaluations were clearly affected by their parents’ occupations. The reproduction of the culture of gender inequality is harmful and contrary to the socialist core values promoted by the Chinese Communist Party.