Women in Poverty Struggle with Job Insecurity

The Gender Poverty Indicators System (SIPYG) report, conducted by the National Council for the Evaluation of Social Development (CONEVAL), sheds light on significant disparities between men and women in Mexico regarding poverty and workforce participation. Covering the period from 2016 to 2022, the report presents a comprehensive analysis across 33 indicators, emphasizing the pervasive impact of the gendered division of labor on poverty dynamics.

The thematic structure of SIPYG 2016-2022 encompasses various dimensions, including household characteristics, the gendered division of labor, inequalities in opportunities, and social rights. Among the key findings is the revelation that the gendered division of labor significantly contributes to women's vulnerability to poverty. This division constrains their access to the labor market and other public spaces compared to men.

One aspect highlighted by the report is the disparity in working hours between men and women. From 2016 to 2022, women consistently worked fewer hours in paid employment while dedicating significantly more time to unpaid domestic work. On average, women engaged in employment for 36 hours per week, compared to 45 hours for men, according to the report. Conversely, women spent an average of 32 hours per week on unpaid household work, nearly double the time allocated by men.

The burden of unpaid domestic work is particularly pronounced in impoverished contexts, where women face heightened challenges. Over the six-year period examined, the total hours dedicated to unpaid household work increased for women in poverty, while their participation in employment decreased significantly compared to men. This exacerbates the structural inequalities that shape how women experience and navigate poverty. “Of those men in poverty, 82.5% are working, while for women, only 47% are employed,” said José Nabor Cruz, Executive Minister, CONEVAL. 

Moreover, the report highlights the prevalence of precarious employment conditions among women in poverty, including a lack of access to social security and disproportionately shorter working hours. These factors perpetuate the cycle of poverty and reinforce the structural barriers that women face in achieving economic security.

The implications of these findings extend beyond economic realms, impacting women's access to essential social rights such as education, healthcare, and housing. Women in poverty face compounded challenges, with limited access to social protections and higher levels of insecurity in employment compared to men, according to CONEVAL.

Another relevant finding is the disparity in labor force participation between men and women with children. While fatherhood is associated with increased employment rates, motherhood correlates with decreased labor force participation, especially in impoverished households. Additionally, women in poverty experience a widening gender wage gap, earning substantially less than their male counterparts.