Background
An important source of persistent gender differences in wages and income is that women and men combine paid work and family life differently. A substantial body of research shows that gender gaps in wages and income widen around the transition to parenthood. Women experience greater wage and career penalties than men when they become parents. Over time, differences related to parenthood explain an increasing share of the overall gender wage gap, while other factors, such as education, have become less significant.
Aim
In this project, we investigate the economic consequences of the transition to parenthood for women and men in both the short and long term, and how this is connected to opportunities for work–family balance and attitudes toward gender equality at home and in society. We examine when, how, and why the transition to parenthood becomes an important driver of income and wage disparities between women and men, and which factors contribute to reinforcing or counteracting such inequalities.
Approach
The analyses are based on linked Norwegian register data for the period 2007–2024, the CORE Survey 2025, and two international surveys: the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) and the Generations and Gender Survey (GGS).
