Women continue to take on 70% of domestic and care tasks, which limits their access to employment and training opportunities.
In the framework of March 8, International Women's Day, the Data Factory together with the Gender and Sexualities Area of the Universidad Nacional de Rosario they made a report on gender inequalities in the city that addresses access to employment, the distribution of care tasks, wage gaps, social security and education.
Based on data from the 2022 National Population, Household and Housing Census, the Permanent Household Survey and other sources, structural gaps are evident that mainly affect women and diversities.
Among the main findings, it is worth highlighting that the city of Rosario has a femininity index of 112 women for every 100 men, with a higher concentration of women in the most advanced age groups. For the first time, the 2022 Census made the trans and non-binary population visible: 1% of women and 0,9% of men identified with a gender identity different from the one assigned at birth.
According to the study, women continue to take on 70% of domestic and care tasks, which limits their access to employment and training opportunities. This is reflected in the activity and employment rates that are significantly lower for women compared to men, while unemployment and underemployment rates are higher among the female population.
As for the most visible forms of underutilization of the workforce in the last five years, there is also a differentiated evolution between women and men. The pandemic had a strong impact on the Rosario labor market, with increases in unemployment and underemployment in 2020. From 2021 onwards, the recovery was faster for men than for women, reflecting structural inequalities in accessing and maintaining employment. In 2024, an increase in underemployment is observed in both genders, which may suggest greater job insecurity or difficulties in generating full-time employment.
Although the female activity rate has grown in recent years, women still face greater barriers to access formal and well-paid jobs, a phenomenon associated with cultural, social and economic factors, among others. “By assuming mostly unpaid work tasks, access and participation in the labor market is conditioned due to this double presence,” the study states.
The effects are diverse and limitations are evident in relation to the number of positions occupied by women but, fundamentally, their quality. Thus, women are mostly inserted in low-paid sectors and access to hierarchical and decision-making positions in organizations is limited, despite obtaining higher levels of education than men.
For example, during the third quarter of 2024, the income gap in the main occupation for Greater Rosario reached 27,4%, confirming the persistence of gender inequality in the workplace. In 2019, women earned, on average, 34,7% less than men. Although this difference narrowed in some periods, it increased again in 2023 to reach 33,6%.
Although women have higher educational levels, this does not translate into proportional improvements in their insertion and development in the labour market. In Greater Rosario, the proportion of women with completed university studies is consistently higher than that of men, reflecting a global trend in which they achieve higher educational levels. It is observed that, while the percentage of men with completed university level ranges between 13,5% and 20,2%, in the case of women the range is higher, with values ranging from 17,2% to 27,5%.
For researchers, this phenomenon can be thought of as originating from multiple factors. On the one hand, the widespread access to higher education in Argentina has particularly benefited women, who have reduced the historical gaps in access to education. On the other hand, despite their greater training, women face difficulties in transforming this educational capital into better working conditions, which is evident in the persistence of the gender wage gap and occupational segregation, the so-called “glass ceilings and walls.”
The analysis of the occupational hierarchy shows significant differences. While only 4,5% of employed women are managers or directors, this percentage rises to 8,4% in the case of men, which shows a lower female presence in leadership and decision-making roles.
On the other hand, in terms of social security, it is noteworthy that 85% of retired women in the province of Santa Fe accessed the right through moratoriums, which shows more fragmented work trajectories. In this regard, it is noted that "the elimination of this pension policy will negatively impact access to retirement for the majority of women."
The report shows progress in making gender inequalities visible in Rosario, but also shows the persistence of multiple gaps that limit women and people of different backgrounds' access to fundamental rights. "Although there have been improvements in female labor participation and in the recognition of diverse gender identities, structural barriers remain significant," says the UNR research.
Gaps in employment, income and social security continue to affect women in particular, reinforcing structural inequalities. In this regard, they stress that “to reduce these inequalities, it is essential to continue producing statistics with a gender perspective and to advance inclusive public policies.”
Journalist: Victoria Arrabal/Photographer: Camila Casero