Parenthood and the Gender Gaps in the Brazilian Labor Market

This paper investigates how parenthood differently affects the working trajectory of men and women in the labor market. Based on data from the quarterly National Household Sample Survey (PNADC), provided by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), we start by estimating the gender gaps in labor force participation and wages over the last decade. We then show that the labor market participation gap is more pronounced in the presence of a child in the household, especially when women become mothers at a young age. The results are dependent on mothers’ characteristics, such as age and education. The evidence presented here contributes to the literature about gender inequalities in Brazil, especially at the intersection of parenthood and gender differences in the labor market.