Work

The Impact of Parenthood on the Gender Gap in Italy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT We examine the impact of parenthood on labor market outcomes for men and women in Italy. We perform two analyses. First, we use a fixed effects framework to examine the impact of marriage and childbearing on labor market outcomes separately for men and women. Then, we follow the child penalty approach to examine the total impact of childbearing on gender inequality. We find that childbirth leads to lower employment and earnings for women with little change for men. These impacts increase with the number of children. Overall, having a child leads to a 39.1% decrease in female employment, a 12.2% increase in part‐time work, and a 33% decline in income over the following 10 years relative to (non‐significant) changes for men.

Source: Labour

DOI: 10.1111/labr.70010

Authors: Salvatore Di Salvo, Steven Stillman

Institutions: University of Luxembourg, University of Milan, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research, Free University of Bozen-Bolzano, IZA - Institute of Labor Economics

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Decent work and economic growth, Reduced inequalities, No poverty

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $2,900