Gender Gaps in Commuting Time: Evidence from Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Colombia

Abstract

We analyze the relationship between gender and the time devoted to commuting by men and women in four Latin American countries. Using data from time surveys from Peru (2010), Ecuador (2012), Chile (2015) and Colombia (2012 and 2017), we observe in all four countries that women devote less time to this activity compared to men, in both urban and rural areas This gender difference varies depending on the presence of children, the working hours, the type of employment, and the urban or rural status of the respondent. Our results contribute to the literature on gender differences in commuting time for a set of countries that have not been thoroughly analyzed, pointing to the responsibility for the care of children as a factor limiting the daily mobility of women in these countries.