Measuring gender relations with GGS data

Measuring gender relationswith GGS data

Maria Eugenia COSIO ZAVALA

Pascal SEBILLE

CERPOS Centre de Recherche Populations et sociétés

University of Paris X-Nanterre

GGS, Gender and generations surveys

These surveys aim at exploring relationships between gender changes and different demographic outcomes, such as fertility and formal marriage


Gender indicators

• The model and pioneer survey: five surveys in Asia (K. Mason and al., 1985)

• DHS surveys (including partners’ negotiations and including men)

GGS, Gender and Generations surveys

The gender dimension

In GGS, gender effects can be studied on :

• Matrimonial histories

• Fertility (tempo and intensity)

• Living arrangements of the elderly

• Family networks


• Two classical dimensions of female empowerment : autonomy and responsibilities in the household

We grouped the variables in a different manner :

• household organization

• equality between partners


Gender definition in GGS is a multidimensional concept, including different aspects: access and control of resources, such as education, labor, durable goods; control of women’s work earnings by herself and of her goods


• Autonomy: freedom in taking decisions, economic independence and freedom of movements

• Decision power

• Roles

• Values


Dependant variables :- fertility- nuptiality (legal marriage)

union definition (in GGS-ERFI): living together with the partner at least during 3 consecutive months


Evaluation of the union's probability of giving birth to a child, of marrying legally in function of:

• Sociodemographic variables• Gender indicators


• fertility models : probability of having a first child, the last one before the survey, in the current union, for males and females

• marriage models : probability of legal marriage for males and females


• Explanatory variables are grouped in three sets:

• First : socio-demographic variables, partners’ demographic life course and their human capital


Two additional sets with gender variables:

• a dimension about union’s organization, domestic tasks by sex, female participation in income and decisions


• a second dimension about equality in union’s gender relations, women’s participation in resources’ management

• modern or traditional values (more or less egalitarian)


I. socio-demographic variables

• age groups• duration of the present union• matrimonial status• number of previous unions• having a child before actual union • education • woman’s type of work (full time, partial time, no work)• age difference between partners


II. Tasks’ repartition between partners

- Participation in all tasks (scores)

- Woman’s contribution to income (%)

- Participation in decisions (scores)


III. Equality/inequality

• Income management by woman (scores)

• Family values :

- modern

- traditional


MODERN VALUES

- Marriage is no more an appropriate institution nowadays

- It is right for partners in an informal union to live together even if they have no intention of getting married


MODERN VALUES

- If people are not happy in their union, they can divorce, even if they have children

- A woman can have a child and raise it alone if she does not want to have a stable relation with a man


TRADITIONAL VALUES:

- Marriage is a link that lasts during all life, it is not possible to break it

- To grow happy, children need to live in a family unit with a father and a mother

Some results of GGSERFI in France

• Egalitarian variables have a negative effect on the fertility and marriage probabilities.

• Partners’ age, former matrimonial histories, women’s work, education and other socio-demographic variables have a strong influence

Some results of GGS,ERFI in France

• Personal and family lives of both partners are highly important, including matrimonial experiences before current union

• They have a significative weight in relation with gender indicators, before and during the actual union


• Fertility and nuptiality depend on these personal an union’s histories and on equalitarian or not equalitarian gender relations.

• It is very interesting to have GGS (ERFI in France) to show these interactions


• In France, unions organize tasks with a strong specialization by sex. In 8 unions among 10, women do more (much more) domestic tasks than men.

• BUT equality is predominant in the management of resources, with 8 unions among 10 sharing them in an egalitarian way

To know more…

Contact : [email protected]; [email protected]

www-erfi.ined.fr

mailto:[email protected]

http://www-erfi.ined.fr/


Thank you!.....

Contact : [email protected]; [email protected]

www-erfi.ined.fr

mailto:[email protected]



Documents

Measuring gender relations with GGS data