Why It’s in the News
- Experts have urged the Indian government to undertake a dedicated survey on women’s unpaid care work.
- The call came at a consultative meeting hosted by MoSPI and the UN Time-Use Survey committee on September 24, 2025.
- Aim: Measure women’s economic contribution through unpaid caregiving and domestic work, which remains largely invisible in official statistics.
Relevance
- GS I (Social Issues): Gender inequality, time poverty, social empowerment.
- GS II (Governance & Policy): Labour surveys, gender-responsive policymaking, economic planning.
- GS III (Economy & Labour): Female workforce participation, economic contribution of unpaid work.
Understanding Unpaid Care Work
- Definition: Activities performed without pay, including:
- Childcare and instruction.
- Elderly care and care for dependent adults.
- Household chores: cooking, fetching water, gathering firewood.
- Help to non-dependents, travel related to care, and other household services.
- Key problem: Unpaid care work contributes to “time poverty”, limiting women’s access to paid employment, skill development, and economic independence.
Data & Statistics (2024)
Time Spent on Unpaid Care Daily:
- Women: 299 minutes (≈5 hours)
- Men: 75 minutes (≈1 hour 15 minutes)
- Difference: 224 minutes daily
Labour Force Participation (PLFS 2023):
- Women aged 15+ : 32%
- Men aged 15+ : 77%
- Women aged 15–29: 21.4%
- Men aged 15–29: 53%
Trends:
- Women’s time on unpaid work increased over five years: 299 minutes vs 164 minutes for men in 2024.
- Male unpaid work increased only marginally (from 154 minutes in 2019 to 164 minutes in 2024).
- Overall, almost 84% of women engaged in unpaid work in 2024, vs 45% of men.
Key Observations from Experts
- Time poverty trap: Women spend long hours on unpaid tasks → fewer skills, less paid work access.
- Economic cost: Low female workforce participation affects not just women but wider economic growth.
- Cross-country evidence: A 2-hour increase in unpaid work reduces women’s paid work participation by 33% for ages 15+ compared to 77% for males.
Policy & Research Suggestions
- New Survey on Unpaid Work:
- Collect data between households on unpaid labour and caregiving, distinguishing shared vs exclusive patterns.
- Capture time use patterns titled “Changing Patterns of Time Use, 2024–25”.
- Build on prior exercises: NSSO 1998–99, studies from JNU, Ashoka University, and Thiruvananthapuram Development Studies.
- Integration with Gender Policy:
- Recognize unpaid care work in GDP contribution and economic planning.
- Target interventions to reduce women’s time poverty and increase workforce participation.
Significance
- Social: Highlights gender inequality in division of labor and domestic responsibilities.
- Economic: Improving female participation in paid work can boost India’s economic output.
- Policy Relevance: Supports data-driven policymaking on caregiving, gender budgets, and labour laws.
- Global Context: Aligns with UN Sustainable Development Goals on gender equality and decent work.
Key Takeaways
- Women disproportionately bear unpaid care work (~84% vs 45% of men).
- Daily time burden: ~5 hours for women vs ~1 hour for men.
- Time poverty restricts skills, employment opportunities, and economic empowerment.
- Expert recommendation: Dedicated, nationwide survey to guide policies for equitable distribution of care work.
