Let´s Talk About Women’s Unpaid Workload: The 11 Billion Hours / Day Globally

The National Library of Medicine points out a serious imbalance in unpaid labor: women do three-quarters of the world’s unpaid work, totaling 11 billion hours each day. Worldwide, women perform three times more care and domestic tasks than men, with this burden even heavier in low and middle-income countries. How is it possible, and can we change that? We review this topic more in-depth.

Inequity in the Division of Labor

Inequities in the division of housework contribute to sex differences in depression. Overall, women work longer hours and do more unpaid work than men. More unpaid work hours correlated with higher depression symptom trajectories for women. Women’s total work hours were linked to a “highly stable” depression trajectory. These findings underscore the need for interventions to reduce women’s unpaid work hours. Unpaid work has other harmful effects.

The Invisible Labor of Unpaid Work

Unpaid work refers to services provided within a household for its members, including personal care and housework. Because of gendered domestic roles, women and girls are often expected to assume unpaid domestic work and care. Unpaid care work significantly affects whether women enter and stay in paid employment. The struggle and physical demands of unpaid work need to be considered. Women’s experience of unpaid domestic work varies significantly between income levels. This struggle can cause substantial fatigue and stress.

The Mental Health Impact

Stress activates the release of neurohormones, including cortisol. Women who find household tasks and childcare highly stressful have higher cortisol levels. Sustained high cortisol levels may lead to adverse mental health outcomes. Higher levels of objective stress may translate into higher perceived stress for women. The cognitive and emotional involvement in unpaid work can lead to distress. The “double burden” of paid and unpaid work affects women more than men.

Cognitive and Physical Health Risks

Providing long-term care for a sick or elderly relative is associated with excess psychiatric morbidity in women. Young unpaid caregivers for elderly, ill, and disabled people face worse physical and mental health. These caregivers earn less, pay fewer taxes, and spend more on health services. Women comprised the majority of caregivers in most studies. The direct and indirect costs of unpaid work are staggering.

Unpaid Work During the COVID-19 Crisis

The gendered nature of unpaid work became more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. UN Women found that women in several countries reported spending more time on domestic chores than men. Real-time surveys in the US and UK showed more women lost paid jobs. Gender asymmetries extended to childcare, with mothers doing more than fathers. A UK survey found women spent substantially longer on childcare and housework than men during the pandemic. Women’s paid work shrank disproportionately compared to men’s.

Psychological Distress During Lockdown

Increased childcare and home-schooling hours were associated with more significant psychological distress among women. A UK study found that women did about two-thirds of the housework and childcare duties during the lockdown. Women were more likely to reduce working hours and adapt employment schedules due to unpaid care.

Cognitive Impairments and Long-Term Effects

Unpaid work has long-term cognitive and physical health risks. Full-time homemakers face higher risks of cognitive impairments compared to other occupations. The Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing highlighted these risks. Providing long-term care is linked to psychiatric morbidity in women. Young unpaid caregivers have worse health outcomes and lower earnings. These long-term effects underscore the need for policy interventions.

Gendered Social Norms

Gendered social norms construct women as caregivers and providers. Unpaid work is associated with poorer mental health for women. The pandemic magnified these inequities, increasing the risk of mental disorders. Longitudinal research is needed to understand the global implications of unpaid caregiving. Policies must address the gender distribution of unpaid care and domestic work. This will provide evidence for policymakers to drive transformative change.

Policy Interventions

We need to prioritize the continued safe operation of childcare facilities and schools. Social protection measures, like paid leave for caregivers, are essential. Subsidies for people with care responsibilities should be established. Flexible working options can support women during and beyond the pandemic. Low and middle-income countries can implement feasible strategies like universal childcare services. Investing in childcare services can reduce gender inequality in earnings and employment.

Life Cycle Perspective

A life cycle approach can result in a fairer distribution of unpaid care responsibilities. Policies that grant fathers more extended paternity leave are beneficial. These policies improve infant and child health outcomes and reduce mortality. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for integrated service delivery for women. Improved access to health services, income support, and legal systems is crucial. Strengthening legal protections can support women vulnerable to intimate partner violence.

Transformative Change

Transformative change for women requires recognizing, reducing, and redistributing unpaid care work. Government incentives can support this change. Examples include “cash for care” subsidies and paid leave for caregivers. Communities and local governments must be involved in the provision of care. This will allow women to contribute more to the paid work economy, give women more time for themselves, and safeguard their mental health.

Global and Local Efforts

Concerted efforts are needed globally and locally to address unpaid care work. The UN Women’s global program, Making Every Woman and Girl Count, is one such initiative. National robust time-use survey data on unpaid care and domestic work are needed. These data will provide evidence for policymakers to drive change. We must prioritize these efforts to reduce gender inequities. Addressing unpaid work will benefit women’s well-being and overall societal outcomes.

Women have historically carried a disproportionate burden of unpaid domestic and home care responsibilities. The response to COVID-19 has widened this inequality gap. Innovative research and policy interventions are needed to reduce inequalities in the unpaid economy. Recognizing and addressing the burden of unpaid work is crucial for women’s mental health and overall well-being.

The article was inspired by the National Library of Medicine.