There are significant gender gaps in certain occupations and industries in the Cayman Islands. The 2010 Census of Population and Housing showed many careers and jobs in which males or females were more likely to be employed.
For example, the vast majority of workers employed by private households were female and they also dominated in the education, human health and social work industries. Female workers were also in the majority for clerical and elementary occupations.
Construction workers, skilled and unskilled agriculture workers and craft and trade workers were almost exclusively male and they also dominated in the manufacturing, mining and quarrying industry and in the supply of utilities.
There were also more female professionals than male professionals but fewer female managers than male managers.
Gender gaps in occupations
Gender gaps in industries
Females are seen as having primary responsibility for unpaid work in the home and caregiving and these stereotypes channel females into similar occupations and industries, such as domestic work, education and human services. These roles require certain skills like caring and nurturing that are considered “feminine talents” and are not rewarded or well-paid. The gender segregation of labour is a major contributing factor to the gender income gap.
Once the gender division of labour is established it encourages males and females to choose certain occupations. Employers often further reinforce the division by not adapting work environments to suit men and women or by favouring one sex over the other.
Domestic workers more likely to be women
This Caymanian Compass article reports on research from the International Labour Organisation and local statistics to show that domestic workers in Cayman and around the world are more likely to be women. It also discusses the unique vulnerabilities and issues facing these workers.
Gender segregation in the labour market: Root causes, implications and policy responses in the EU
The aim of this European Commission report is to analyse employment segregation for women and men in the European labour market at both the sectoral and occupational levels. It provides a comparative analysis of trends in segregation across the 27 EU Member States, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, and examines the root causes of the phenomenon, the consequences, and current and desirable policy responses.
Daybreak - Household chores linked to career path
This Daybreak segment on Cayman 27 features a new study that shows parents who share household responsibilities may also be sharing an important lesson, particularly with their daughters. The researchers suggest that daughters develop broader career goals when they are raised in a home where chores are shared by their mothers and fathers.
