Gender, fertility, and employment among African women in Spain, 2000–2020

Abstract

Abstract The African population is among those with the largest migratory tradition in Spain. During the period of economic growth, migratory flows from Africa were mostly men and of an economic nature, while the majority of women embarked on their migratory projects for family reunification. However, the ensuing socioeconomic circumstances led to variations in these trends. The aim of this study is to explore how changes in the economic cycle during the last two decades have affected the reproductive behavior of African migrant women, with particular attention to their relationship with the Spanish labor market from a couple-level perspective. We analyze longitudinal data from the Spanish Labor Force Survey from 2000 to 2020. The results show how the Great Recession had the effect of lowering fertility throughout the sample. Notably, unlike other origins, for African-born women, the negative effect on fertility endures during the recovery period, even when controlling for other factors. Results also suggest that when African women transition from inactivity to unemployment, the probability of having a child is lower compared with the traditional gender-role model. However, the fertility of African couples with a favorable education and employment position for both partners is not significantly different from that of couples representing the traditional model. Our results might be pointing toward changes in gender roles among couples of African origin in Spain, at least in the domain of the labor market. Future research should explore whether these changes extend to the private sphere within families.