The Invisible Women: Gender and Caregiving in Francophone Newspapers

Abstract

This contribution analyses the importance given to gender in articles related to caregiving for older adults in five francophone newspapers (Le Soir, Le Devoir, Figaro, Libération and La Presse) across three countries (Belgium, France and Canada). Out of the 254 articles in our sample, less than a fifth (49) made any mention of gender. A closer analysis of the gender related contributions reveal that only 18 articles devote more than a line to the interaction between gender and caregiving activities and its multiple socio-economic consequences. This is highly surprising since women provide the bulk of caregiving efforts and are the ones facing difficulties due to the lack of governmental actions to assist with these functions. These consequences are well documented in the scientific literature and feature caregiving burnout, loss of employment and economic insecurity. This contribution features an analysis and some extracts from the 18 articles in question.

Keywords

• caregiving
• caregivers
• older adults
• social services
• Belgium
• France