Ciudadanía y cuidado en España: el dilema trabajo/familia según las madres trabajadoras

Abstract

Female participation in the workforce and the growing interest of men in childcare have been interpreted as a sign of progress in terms of gender equality. However, the availability of conciliation resources is still limited, despite the growing demand for caregiving services for people with special needs. In this article, I present the results of two consecutive qualitative research pieces performed on forty-seven Spanish working mothers from several social strata, in the context of the current economic crisis, concerning their relationship as caregivers to their male children and under aged daughters. Results indicate that there is tension between conciliation discourses and actual caregiving experiences. The solution to this resistance emerges from women themselves, attempting to overcome the work/family conflict. This group understands the conciliation dilemma as a fluid relationship of shared responsibilities and rights across different social players. To succeed, this continuum needs a spectrum of conciliation resources that modifies the influence of gender on social rights.