Join us for a compelling exploration of gender equality through the lens of economics.
This lecture presents a new framework for understanding the persistence of gender inequality that moves beyond traditional time-use measures of childcare. Drawing on recent advances in the economics of the family, Professor Almudena Sevilla will introduce new models of parental time allocation that explicitly account for on-call care—the continuous responsibility, monitoring, and availability that accompanies parenting but is largely invisible in standard datasets.
The lecture will show how these forms of non-measured care are disproportionately borne by mothers and persist throughout childhood and adolescence. By incorporating on-call care into models of household decision-making, the analysis provides a clearer explanation for the durability of the child penalty and the slow convergence of gender gaps in labour market outcomes, even in settings with extensive childcare provision and parental leave policies. The lecture concludes by discussing how recognising on-call care reshapes our understanding of gender inequality and has direct implications for the design of family and labour market policies aimed at promoting a more equal sharing of care.
Meet our Speakers & Chair
Almudena Sevilla is Professor of Economic and Social Policy within the Department of Social Policy at LSE. She has been appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for her contributions to economics and the advancement of women in the field. She is Founding Chair of the Royal Economic Society UK Women in Economics Network and the LSE Women in Social and Public Policy Research Hub. Almudena’s research in gender economics has appeared in top journals such as American Economic Review and Journal of Labor Economics, and has received substantial funding, including an ERC Consolidator Grant. She is President of the Society of the Economics of the Household and a sought-after speaker at international forums.
Discussant:
Professor Irene Kamberidou (BA, MA, PhD) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA), School of Economics and Political Science, Department of Sociology is an active member of the university’s Gender Equality and Anti-Discrimination Committee. She is also a member of the Gender Equality Committee of the School of Economics and Political Science of the NKUA; the Hellenic Sociological Society (HSS); the Hellenic Society of Women Faculty Members (EL.E.GY.P); and the Association of Friendship Among Nations. Irene completed her undergraduate and graduate studies in Boston and Paris: Emmanuel College, Boston Massachusetts; Boston College, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts; and l'Université Paris-Sorbonne (Paris IV). After repatriating to Greece, she completed her Doctoral degree (PhD) at Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences, Department of Sociology, School of Social Sciences. From 2004 to 2009, as a member of the Gender Expert Action Group (GEAG) of theEuropean Commission’s Directorate-General for Information Society and Media (DG INFSO), today DG Connect, she participated in all the "Consultation Workshops on Women and Technology" in Brussels, continuing her work in the field as a member of the Executive Group of the European Centre for Women and Technology (ECWT) of which she was one of its founding members. As of November 26, 2025, following a unanimous decision, she was awarded the honorary title of Professor Emeritus and maintains a close and active association with the university.
Chair:
Vassilis Monastiriotis is Director of the LSE Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece and Cyprus - Hellenic Observatory, Professor in Political Economy and Eleftherios Venizelos Chair of Contemporary Greek Studies at the European Institute, LSE.
Aristeidis Samitas is Professor of Finance, Vice Rector for Finance and Development, Director of MSc in FinTech and Director of Financial Investments Lab in the Department of Business Administration, School of Economics and Political Science, University of Athens.
More about this event
The LSE Athens Lectures series has been organised by the Hellenic Observatory of the London School of Economics for the period from 2014 to 2021. The series is relaunched in 2024-25 as a joint initiative of the Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Political Science, MSc Programme Financial Technology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and the LSE Centre for Research on Contemporary Greece & Cyprus - Hellenic Observatory. For more information visit: www.lse.ac.uk/HO/Athens-Lectures
Any questions?
You can contact us at Hellenicobservatory@lse.ac.uk
Photography
Photographs are regularly taken at events both by staff and members of the media. Photographs from events taken by Hellenic Observatory staff are often used on our social media accounts and online or printed publications.
Media queries
Please contact the Hellenic Observatory if you would like to request a press seat or have a media query about this event, email Hellenicobservatory@lse.ac.uk.
Podcasts
We aim to make all our events available as a podcast upon receiving permission from the speaker/s to do this, and subject to no technical problems with the recording of the event. Podcasts are normally available 1 week after the event. You can access the podcast and video on each event’s page and on our Podcasts and Videos page.
LSE holds a wide range of events, covering many of the most controversial issues of the day, and speakers at our events may express views that cause offence. The views expressed by speakers at LSE events do not reflect the position or views of The London School of Economics and Political Science.
From time to time there are changes to event details so we strongly recommend that if you plan to attend this event you check back on this listing on the day of the event.
Whilst we are hosting this listing, LSE Events does not take responsibility for the running and administration of this event. While we take responsible measures to ensure that accurate information is given here (for instance by checking that the room has been booked) this event is ultimately the responsibility of the organisation presenting the event.