Reconciliation of family and work life

Nato Kurshitashvili

Serbia,18-19 May 2010

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

What is reconciliation of family and work life?

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Reconciliation of work and family is a fundamental aspect of promoting equality in the world of work and of reducing poverty

Why has this issue become increasingly important across the

EU in the recent years?

Looking at the total employment rates, women are significantly falling behind men.

What policies exist?

Childcare facilities

Leave entitlements

Flexible work arrangements

Financial Allowances

Serbia

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 child 2 children 3 and more children

Hungary

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 child 2 children 3 and more children

Source: UNECE Statistical Division Database, compiled from national official sources

Austria

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 child 2 children 3 or more children

France

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

1 child 2 children 3 or more children

Employment rates by number of children, countries and sex, %, 2006-2007Childcare facilities

Male Female

Ratio of the number of places available for children aged 0-2 years in childcare centers, per 100 children

0 10 20 30 40 50

France

Estonia

Lithuania

Netherlands

Bulgaria

Germany

The fYR of Macedonia

Poland

Romania

Source: UNECE Statistical Division Database, compiled from national and international sources, 2000-06

Childcare facilities

Leave entitlements

•Level of payment

•Length of leave

•Flexibility in using the leave

•Labour market sector, etc.

Flexible working time arrangements

• Part-time work

• Job sharing

• Flexi-time

• Home working or teleworking

• Term-time working

• Annualized hours, etc.

Data Sources

There are number of data sources which can be useful to measure the reconciliation of family and work life.

Labour Force Surveys

2005 EU-LFS ad hoc module:

•How far persons participate in the labour force

•The degree of flexibility offered at work•How far the leave is taken.

Time Use SurveysTime spent on TV and video and domestic work, by sex and country (2000-2006)

Latvia

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 2

Spain

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 2

Source: UNECE Gender Statistics database, 2000-2006

Note: data are reported in number of hours, where decimals represent hundredths of an hour

Domestic activitiesTV and video

Women Men Women Men

Survey on Income and Living Conditions -EU-SILC

The number of hours of childcare per week Broken down by provider for each child aged 0-12

Detailed questions on how children are cared:

Indicators

Impact of parenthood on employment rates

Without children?

With children?

Number of available places at pre-schools and day care centers

Share of employees working fewer hours because of care of children

Time spent on domestic work by sex

Time spent on ‘free time’ activities by sex

Impact of marital status on the employment rates by sex

Indicators

•Educational attainment of staff•Carer/child ratio•Take up rate of leave by men• Return rate of leave takers.

Conclusion

What statistical tools can be better utilized to provide the data on the reconciliation of family and work life?

•Labour Force Surveys

•Time Use Surveys

•EU-SILC, etc

United Nations Economic Commission for EuropeStatistical Division

Thank you