The absence of sufficient policies and infrastructure supporting mothers deters many mothers from entering (or re-entering) the labour force and can prevent children from receiving good-quality care and education. While even childless women do more unpaid care and housework than men, the arrival of children in the household makes it even harder for women to compete equally in the labour force given gender stereotypes, barriers in the labour market and lack of quality child care support. When mothers do engage in paid work, the “motherhood penalty” - meaning that mothers receive lower wages than childless women - remains persistent and strong in OECD countries even after accounting for a woman’s decision to become a mother, which may influence her other behaviours (Budig and England, 2001, Gough and Noonan, 2013).