Demographic supplement for motherhood within the framework of equality policies. Analysis of objectives, results and outcomes

Rafael Granell
Concha Salvador

2020
Article

Abstract:

This paper analyses, from a Public Economics perspective, the Demographic Maternity Supplement introduced in the Spanish Social Security System in 2016. The measure involves an improvement in the contributory retirement, widowhood and permanent disability pensions received by mothers with at least two children, with the aim of reducing gender differences and recognising motherhood as a contribution to the pension system. We examine both objectives and the critical points of this public policy measure, focusing on its distributional effects: the impact of the measure on the pension system, the differences in treatment generated by its application and its effects on the gender gap and on inequality among women. To estimate the main results, micro-data from the Continuous Sample of Working Lives and aggregate data provided by the Ministry of Employment and Social Security have been used. This measure has had remarkable results, benefiting 58% of new pensioners, but critical aspects can also be highlighted, such as discrimination for some groups of women and men, its modest effect on the reduction of the gender gap or its impact on inequality among women. It concludes by suggesting other gender equality policies, related to the pension system, which could improve these results.

 

Reference:

Granell, R.; Salvador, C. (2020): Complemento demográfico por maternidad en el marco de las políticas de igualdad. Análisis de objetivos, resultados y consecuencias, CIRIEC-España, Revista de Economía Pública, Social y Cooperativa, 98, pp. 287-322. DOI: 10.7203/CIRIEC-E.98.14138