Measurement of behavioural gender segregation: differences in time use between women and men

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Oudhof, Ko^{; 1}

Affiliations: Statistics Netherlands, Prinses Beatrixlaan 428, P.O. Box 4000, 2270 JM Voorburg, The Netherlands

Note: [1] The author wishes to thank the Social and Cultural Planning Office (SCP) for the use of the data from the Time Use Surveys and especially to Dono Niggebrugge for his efforts to make the data available. He is also very grateful to Jeroen Pannekoek for his methodological advice and comments. The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the policies of Statistics Netherlands.

Abstract: Similar to occupational gender segregation, behavioural gender segregation can be defined as disproportional performance of activities by women and men. Segregation indices appear very applicable to behaviour as measured by time use surveys. The analysis might be directed to participation in separate activities as well as to the time spent on them. Application of the segregation measures to data for the Netherlands 19751995 shows plausible and easily interpreted results. Behavioural gender segregation in the Netherlands is decreasing. That conclusion appears particularly valid for productive activities.

Keywords: gender, segregation, time use, inequality

DOI: 10.3233/SJU-1998-15201

Journal: Statistical Journal of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, vol. 15, no. 2, pp. 117-126, 1998