Changing childcare demands due to Covid-19 regulations: Impact on maternal employment and household food security, in South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorBoatemaa, Sandraen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorSigge, G. O.en_ZA
dc.contributor.authorBarlow, Vineen_ZA
dc.contributor.otherStellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Food Science.en_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2022-02-27T19:26:58Z
dc.date.accessioned2022-04-29T09:21:42Z
dc.date.available2022-02-27T19:26:58Z
dc.date.available2022-04-29T09:21:42Z
dc.date.issued2022-04
dc.descriptionThesis (MScFoodSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractENGLISH ABSTRACT: Background: Women traditionally bear the brunt of unpaid care work, however, with the ever- increasing population and struggling economy, their role in the economy has become more significant. Despite more women entering the labour market, they are still responsible for the majority of unpaid care work. The Coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to the restriction of childcare services and school closures around the world, the increased childcare demands have fallen disproportionately on women. Women play an integral role in household food security through their reproductive and productive responsibilities. Their reproductive responsibilities refer to their care and domestic duties such as sourcing, preparing and serving food and caring for children. Their productive responsibilities refer to their paid work in the community which has an effect on their household resources for food. Methods: This study investigated the association between the government responses of COVID-19 and childcare, maternal employment, and household food security in South Africa, during June 2020 using data from the National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) . The NIDS-CRAM is a nationally representative sample of the South African population, that focusses on the socio-economic effects of the pandemic. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted with a sample of 1664 women who had at least a child (<18 years old) in their care during June 2020. Results: More than a third of the mothers did not work in June 2020 (68%). Forty three percent of the mothers had increased childcare demands which impacted their ability to work. About 1 in 2 households ran out of money to buy food (45%). Mothers who reported that they were unemployed, and childcare affected their ability to work had increased odds of running out of money to buy food in June 2020 (OR=1.60, p=0.000). Women who reported that government grants were their main source of income, had increased odds of running out of money for food (OR=1.57, p=0.001). The number of children in the household also increased the odds of the household running out of money for food (OR=1.10; p=0.030) Conclusion: Increased childcare demands limited women’s ability to work or search for work during the lockdown. We established that mothers whose work was affected by increased childcare demands were more likely to run out of money for food. Therefore, we can conclude that childcare demands impact household food security. The risk of household food security increased with the age and number of children in care. Women who reported that government grants were their main source of income have increased odds of running out of money for food. We can therefore conclude that social protection grants are insufficient to protect household food security. Recommendation: The gender policy framework should incorporate programmes directly targeted at men, as a pathway for gender mainstreaming. Education and training on the importance of sharing the burden of unpaid care work can affect change in traditional gender roles. Furthermore, we also recommend that food security be prioritised in social development policies and that more resources are put towards social protection.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractAFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Agtergrond: Vroue dra tradisioneel die swaarste van onbetaalde versorgingswerk, maar met die toenemende bevolking en sukkelende ekonomie het hul rol in die ekonomie meer betekenisvol geword. Ten spyte van meer vroue wat die arbeidsmark betree, is hulle steeds verantwoordelik vir die meerderheid van onbetaalde versorgingswerk. Die Coronavirus-siekte van 2019 (COVID-19) pandemie het gelei tot die beperking van kindersorgdienste en skoolsluitings regoor die wêreld, die verhoogde kindersorg-eise het buitensporig op vroue geval. Vroue speel 'n integrale rol in huishoudelike voedselsekerheid deur hul reproduktiewe en produktiewe verantwoordelikhede. Hul voortplantingsverantwoordelikhede verwys na hul versorging en huishoudelike pligte soos die verkryging, voorbereiding en bediening van kos en die versorging van kinders. Hul produktiewe verantwoordelikhede verwys na hul betaalde werk in die gemeenskap wat 'n uitwerking op hul huishoudelike hulpbronne vir voedsel het. Metodes: Hierdie studie het die verband tussen die regeringsreaksies van COVID-19 en kindersorg, moederdiens en huishoudelike voedselsekuriteit in Suid-Afrika ondersoek, gedurende Junie 2020 met behulp van data van die National Income Dynamics Study – Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) . Die NIDS-CRAM is 'n nasionaal verteenwoordigende steekproef van die Suid-Afrikaanse bevolking, wat fokus op die sosio-ekonomiese uitwerking van die pandemie. Beskrywende en meerveranderlike ontledings is uitgevoer met 'n steekproef van 1664 vroue wat gedurende Junie 2020 ten minste een kind (<18 jaar oud) in hul sorg gehad het. Resultate: Meer as 'n derde van die moeders het nie in Junie 2020 gewerk nie (68%). Drie- en-veertig persent van die moeders het verhoogde kindersorg-eise gehad wat hul vermoë om te werk beïnvloed het. Ongeveer 1 uit 2 huishoudings het nie meer geld gehad om kos te koop nie (45%). Moeders wat gerapporteer het dat hulle werkloos was, en kindersorg het hul vermoë om te werk beïnvloed, het 'n groter kans gehad dat geld in Junie 2020 opraak om kos te koop (OR=1,60, p=0,000). Vroue wat gerapporteer het dat staatstoelaes hul hoofbron van inkomste was, het 'n groter kans gehad dat geld vir kos opraak (OR=1.57, p=0.001). Die aantal kinders in die huishouding het ook die kans verhoog dat die huishouding sonder geld vir kos gaan sit (OF=1.10; p=0.030) Gevolgtrekking: Verhoogde kindersorg vereis beperkte vroue se vermoë om te werk of werk te soek tydens die inperking. Ons het vasgestel dat moeders wie se werk deur verhoogde kindersorg- eise geraak is, meer geneig was om geld vir kos te hê. Daarom kan ons tot die gevolgtrekking kom dat kindersorg-eise 'n impak het op huishoudelike voedselsekuriteit. Die risiko van huishoudelike voedselsekerheid het toegeneem met die ouderdom en aantal kinders in sorg. Vroue wat gerapporteer het dat staatstoelaes hul hoofbron van inkomste was, het die kans verhoog dat geld vir kos opraak. Ons kan dus aflei dat maatskaplike beskermingstoelaes onvoldoende is om huishoudelike voedselsekerheid te beskerm. Aanbeveling: Die geslagsbeleidsraamwerk moet programme insluit wat direk op mans gerig is, as 'n pad vir geslagshoofstroming. Onderwys en opleiding oor die belangrikheid van die deel van die las van onbetaalde sorgwerk kan verandering in tradisionele geslagsrolle beïnvloed. Verder beveel ons ook aan dat voedselsekerheid in maatskaplike ontwikkelingsbeleide geprioritiseer word en dat meer hulpbronne vir maatskaplike beskerming aangewend word.af_ZA
dc.description.versionMastersen_ZA
dc.format.extent67 pagesen_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/124600
dc.language.isoen_ZAen_ZA
dc.publisherStellenbosch : Stellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.rights.holderStellenbosch Universityen_ZA
dc.subjectChildcareen_ZA
dc.subjectHousehold food security -- South Africa -- Financeen_ZA
dc.subjectMaternal employmenten_ZA
dc.subjectCOVID-19 Pandemic, 2020 -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectFood supply -- Social aspects -- South Africaen_ZA
dc.subjectUCTDen_ZA
dc.titleChanging childcare demands due to Covid-19 regulations: Impact on maternal employment and household food security, in South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeThesisen_ZA
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