ABSTRACT
Mothers' increased entry to paid work has not been equally matched by fathers' extra unpaid work. Managing multiple and conflicting roles is a source of stress for mothers, which can impact negatively on their health and family relationships. Direct assistance provided by some governments (such as subsidised childcare and long paid parental leave) has been found effective in reducing gender inequalities in domestic labour and so also easing mothers' overwork and stress.
The current policy context is a projected labour shortage for the coming half century, caused by low birthrates and an aging population. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Babies and Bosses series (2002–2005) makes recommendations to the governments of its member states on how to obtain still more increases in women's labour force participation without further falls in the birthrate. Will this be liberating for mothers or add to their burdens and stress? Much depends on the generosity or otherwise of government policies.
The Babies and Bosses reports recommend that the least generous welfare states provide more assistance for working mothers. However, the reports also suggest cutbacks in the most generous states, even though these are the most successful in helping parents combine childcare and paid employment. The OECD is concerned to use more of women's labour power, but, is also committed to streamlining welfare states. Of concern to many feminists will be that these OECD reports appear 48to want women to “work more” but without generous government assistance, and also recommend further reductions in welfare benefits to lone mothers, as these are seen as reducing incentives to paid work. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service: 1-800-HAWORTH. E-mail address: <docdelivery@haworthpress.com> Website: https://www.HaworthPress.com" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><https://www.HaworthPress.com>; ©2005 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.]
