This paper examines the recent evolution of unemployment and inactivity in Brazilian metropolitan areas. We analyze the situation of men and women separately. The variable "number of children in household" is the most prominent factor concerning inactivity: it is inversely related to male inactivity and directly related to female inactivity. Moreover, the observed patterns among poor and non-poor women are extremely different - poor women have higher inactivity rates than non-poor women - reflecting schooling differentials and, probably, difficulty in enrolling their children in adequate daycare facilities.
unemployment; inactivity; woman; labor market; participation
