During the lockdown due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic (specifically from May 15 to 31, 2020), the Equality Task Force of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM, CSIC) launched a survey to evaluate the Confinement Impact and to know how co-responsibility and teleworking were affected from a gender point of view.
Objective and participation
The main objective of the survey was to obtain the indicators of perception and opinion on the different areas related to the impact on the distribution of gender roles during the lockdown in the different family units, as well as those areas related to the operation of teleworking. The main element of the research has focused on the binomial between conciliation and the situation confinement, introducing a gender view/perspective in the analysis of co-responsibility.
The survey, open to all CMIMA staff (included UTM and ICM staff), was designed based on another survey prepared by the IDAEA Equality Commission (another CSIC center), but adapted to the circumstances and characteristics of the ICM, modifying the pertinent questions to cover a greater number of diversities and personal situations. New questions were also added to gather more indicators of opinion and perception.
Results
Main profile
The scope of the questionnaire reached a sample of 183 people, 58% women and 42% men. Men’s profile has between 41 and 50 years old, mainly research staff (51%) and technical staff (38%) who usually works in the office. Women had between 41 and 50 years old, mainly research staff (58%) who also usually works in the office.
Comparing the results by the total of the ICM, UTM and CMIMA staff, composed by 317 people in total, a participation of 54% was obtained, being women who have participated to a greater extent. Specifically, 73% of the women and 45% of the men of the organization took part of the survey.
Who cares of who?
The most common profile of the caretaker was a woman who dedicated more than 5 hours a day to care of children, between 1 and 4 hours a day to care of dependent persons and between 3 and 4 hours a day to housework.
What factors have an effect on teleworking?
According to men, the most relevant factors were: lack of conditions and/or equipment for teleworking (38%), in second place caring for children (32%) and in third place, domestic tasks (30%). However,, the order of factors that affect teleworking for women was different. According to women, housework was the first factor (45%), followed by caring for children (41%) and in third place the lack of conditions and/or equipment for teleworking (38%).
Loss of female talent
65% of women considered that the sanitary crisis is affecting them more. Also, 47% of men stated that perhaps the crisis affected more to women. Although, when asked directly if the crisis affected more to women, 18% of men deny it.
Conclusions
The results of the survey coincide with the report of the Spanish Women's Institute on the gender perspective in the response to Covid-19, in which it is stated that the impact of this crisis was determined by gender conditioning factors and that women are who suffered greater job insecurity and poverty.
The current sanitary crisis is having a greater impact on the professional development of women, a fact that is directly related to gender inequality and lack of co-responsibility.
Equality Task Force of the Institute of Marine Sciences (ICM, CSIC)
More information: https://www.icm.csic.es/en/news/covid-19-crisis-has-greater-impact-profe...
Report and infographics: https://saco.csic.es/index.php/s/L7nPw5KasGSr4Gy