Mother’s Employment during War: The Role of Marital Status, Household Structure, and Internal Displacement in Ukraine during Russia’s Invasion

Brienna Perelli-Harris , University of Southampton
Nataliia Levchuk, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research
Olga Kupets, Kyiv School of Economics
Volodymyr Sarioglo, Ptoukha Institute for Demography and Life Quality Research
Maryna Ogay, Pt

Prior studies have compared the employment status of married and single women with children, finding steep wage penalties for mothers who are separated from their partners. The majority of these studies have been conducted in Western countries during peacetime. Using the Ukrainian Household Economic Status Survey (HSESS), this study examines women’s employment in Ukraine two years after Russia’s invasion (2023-24), when the economic and security situation in the country was precarious, and the end of the war was nowhere in sight. Russia’s invasion led millions of individuals to flee, both internally and abroad, separating families and promoting intergenerational living arrangements. Constant shelling and attacks, military enlistment, and the reorientation of the labour market have resulted in labour market shortages and general economic strain. These conditions place extreme pressure on families, raising questions about whether mothers could work and whether living with husbands, parents, or other family members facilitate mothers’ employment. Analyses by displacement status and across regions differentially exposed to violence shed further light on mothers’ employment conditions during war. Preliminary results indicate that mothers who were internally displaced after Russia’s invasion are significantly less likely to be employed, as are less educated women from rural areas, single mothers and widows. Women less welfare benefits or income from other family members are more likely to be employed. Next steps will investigate whether the mothers of children who attend nursery or school, including online school, are more or less likely to work.

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 Presented in Session P7. Education, Labor Market, and Economic Issues