Dialogue of Labor and Motherhood in the Context of Socio-Economic and Territorial Differentiation in the Republic of Tatarstan

Abstract

Introduction. Women’s activity in the labor market, reluctance to interrupt their careers and face the problem of lowering income from work are the factors that impede the increase in birth rates and affect the reproductive behavior of women. Under the influence of ideological attitudes and material factors, women are faced with the need to assume a huge share of family responsibilities and maintain a balance between work and family. The objective of this study is to analyze women’s satisfaction with and demand for the existing state support in the Republic of Tatarstan targeted at creating conditions for combining household work and paid jobs. Materials and Methods. The study was based on the results of the applied sociological study ‘Labor activity in the structure of reproductive and parental strategies of a modern woman in the Republic of Tatarstan’. The method of comparative analysis of the microdata obtained was used to assess the extent to which of women with children are satisfied with their position in the context of the conflict of family and employment in the situation of the existing family and demographic policies in the opposition of ‘city – village’. Results. The study has confirmed the hypothesis about a significant role of the system of preschool institutions in making it possible for women to achieve a balance between paid work and motherhood, while the degree of success depends on the type of settlement. New approaches to supporting families with children have been proposed. According to the authors, the main components of state policies to ensure the balance of life and work for women with children should include the practice of flexible forms of employment, making it possible to combine participation in the labor market with motherhood, as well as access to quality childcare services. Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained made it possible to conclude that, regardless of the type of settlement, the financial position of households and the housing conditions, as well as the state of health, to a greater extent prevent women in the Republic of Tatarstan from having the desired number of children. The materials of the article may be useful to the authorities when developing programs to optimize the regional process of regulating employment of women.