A gender analysis of children’s well-being and capabilities through time use data

The main goal of this paper is to analyse gender differences in children’s well-being by applying a capability approach and a gender perspective both to the study of the differences in children’s capabilities by gender and to the study of the impact of the gendered allocation of time on children’s capabilities. The econometric model used is a Multiple Indicator Multiple Causes model (MIMIC). The model is estimated on a sample of children in their middle and late childhood and uses micro-data from the Spanish Time Use Survey. The study focuses on the analysis of well-being through four capabilities: social relations, education and knowledge, leisure and play activities, and domestic and care work. The results point out to the fact that the labour market behaviour by gender is not only related to human capital formation, family conditions or labour market opportunities, but also to children's well-being. Furthermore, gender stereotypes continue influencing the development of children’s capabilities during their process of socialisation.