The effect of family and labour market on female employment in the Southern European countries in compared perspective

The research studies carried out suggest that the activity rates and female employment levels are higher in those countries where the denominated new family forms have been generalized and in the countries where family policies and part time job has been activated. The persistence of traditional family structures based on the intergenerational solidarity somehow limits the incorporation of the woman to the labour market as it is the case of the Southern European countries. Yet the evidence suggests that decline of male breadwinner model is more evident in countries where female employment and development of new family structures and family policies are higher. This is the case of Northern European countries, where the more equitable division in the family works has made it easy the massive incorporation of the woman to the labour market. The empirical implication of this argument is that in families with children where men participate more in domestic tasks, female employment will be negatively associated with the decline of male breadwinner model. However in the countries of Southern Europe, the persistence of traditional family structures, the smaller participation of men in the family tasks, the scarce development of policies for labour and family reconciliation and the limited offer of part time jobs limit the female labour participation. It is in fact in these countries where the male breadwinner model is more introduced than in the Northern European countries.