Solidarity and Inequality in Unpaid Work: An Intersectional Analysis of Time Use in Colombia

Solidarity, understood as cooperation and mutual support, is a central principle of feminist economics. This study explores the relationship between solidarity and the distribution of unpaid work in Colombia through an intersectional approach that considers gender, social class, and rurality. Based on data from the Time Use Survey (EUT) and the Integrated Household Survey (GEIH), this research analyzes how dynamics of solidarity within households and communities influence the redistribution of domestic and care work, and how these variations are conditioned by sociodemographic characteristics. The analysis focuses on two key aspects: first, it examines how unpaid work responsibilities (childcare, domestic work, care for the elderly) are unequally distributed between women and men, as well as among different social sectors. The EUT provides disaggregated data that make it possible to observe these differences between urban and rural areas, and among households with different income levels. Second, it explores the role of mutual support networks, cooperatives, and other forms of solidarity economy in the redistribution of time devoted to unpaid tasks, comparing the situation of those who participate in these networks with that of those who do not. The methodology includes a quantitative analysis based on logistic regressions and structural equation models to identify the relationships between participation in the solidarity economy and the reduction of unpaid work burdens. Qualitative methods are also incorporated to explore how perceptions of solidarity and community cooperation vary according to social and geographic context. Preliminary results suggest that solidarity, through participation in support networks and cooperatives, contributes to a more equitable distribution of unpaid work in certain sectors of the population, especially in rural areas and among lower-income communities. However, significant inequalities persist, reflecting the influence of power factors such as education, income, and participation in paid employment.