Business · Economy · 5 hrs ago
Family policies can reduce gender gaps at work, study finds
In Brazil, women’s participation in the workforce rose from about 63% in 2012 to 66.5% in 2026, while men’s remained near 86%.
A study of multiple countries examined policies that help people balance work and family, including parental leave and public or subsidized childcare.
It found these policies could explain 24% to 33% of declines in gender gaps in jobs and pay.
They could also explain 46% to 76% of the reduction in the career penalty linked to having children.
But the effects depend on policy design: very long parental leave, around 19 months, may widen gaps in employment and earnings.
The study’s findings cannot be applied directly to Brazil, but they point to the importance of broader family-support policies.
Brazil’s 20-day paternity leave is a step forward, but more is needed to support women’s participation in the workforce.
A study finds that family policies can account for a substantial share of reductions in gender gaps in employment and earnings.
Across the countries analyzed, expanding these policies explained 24% to 33% of the total reduction in gender gaps in employment and earnings.
The policies explained 46% to 76% of the reduction in penalties associated with having children.
Additional weeks of parental leave may widen employment and earnings gaps when leave is long, at about 19 months.
The article says Brazil cannot directly apply the study’s results but argues that broader family policies could help reduce gender inequality.
- Who
- The researchers behind the NBER article “Gender Gaps: International Evidence on the Role of Family Policy.” Their names are not stated.
- What
- The study examines how family policies affect gender gaps in employment and earnings, and penalties associated with having children.
- When
- The study was released by the NBER in October 2026. The Folha article was published on November 10, 2026.
- Where
- The study analyzes countries not specified in the article. Folha discusses the findings in relation to Brazil.
- Why
- The researchers assess whether family policies can reduce gender gaps and the penalties associated with motherhood.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The NBER released the study “Gender Gaps: International Evidence on the Role of Family Policy.
Folha published an article discussing the study’s findings and their relevance to Brazil.
- Gender-gap reduction
- Family policies explained 24% to 33% of the reduction in employment and earnings gaps.
- Child-related penalties
- Policies explained 46% to 76% of the reduction in penalties associated with having children.
- Long parental leave
- At about 19 months, additional leave weeks may widen employment and earnings gaps.
- Brazilian participation
- Women’s labor-force participation rose from about 63% to 66.5% between the first quarters of 2012 and 2026.
- Men’s participation
- The rate remained nearly constant at 86.1% over the same period.