Understanding care in the new normal: a correlation analysis of care after covid-19 in Colombia

Abstract

This research aims to explore the medium-term impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the care burden, particularly to understand the new challenges that women face to motivate policy work. The pandemic has highlighted the importance of care, however it also made evident the gender gap in care and the need to address it. The research question “to what extent did the Covid-19 pandemic increase the care burden and what factors influence this change?” is addressed using data from Colombia from 2019 till 2022 to show descriptive statistics and conduct a correlation analysis. The results show an increase in the care burden after the pandemic and a growing gender gap in this area. The correlation analysis shows that working and work hours are negatively correlated with care. Education is negatively correlated with dedicating most of the time to domestic work and hours dedicated to domestic, but positively correlated with doing care tasks. Subsidies are positively correlated with care, but mainly because they are targeted at the most vulnerable segments and do not influence a relief to the care burden. This research sheds light on the importance of care and the need to recognize, revalue, and redistribute care in our societies. The findings underscore the need for policies that promote gender equality. This research provides a basis for future research on the care economy and its relationship with labor and poverty to create care policies that are effective.