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Editorial published on Females spent 201 mins more than males per day in unpaid household work: Time Use Survey 2024 in The Indian Express on February 26th, 2025 |
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The Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) has presented the Time Use Survey 2024, which captures time distribution for unpaid work, that is, household chores and caregiving activities, by men and women in India. The survey shows that women continue to suffer a much more unequal distribution of unpaid domestic and caregiving responsibilities, with over 200 minutes spent each day more than men. This data not only highlights persistent gender disparities in the division of labor at home but also underscores the need for policies that address these inequalities, while recognizing the value of unpaid work in national economic indicators.
The Time Use Survey (TUS) is a survey that helps us understand how people in India spend their time each day. It looks at different activities, like working, studying, taking care of the home, helping family members, resting, and enjoying leisure activities. The survey is special because it looks at both paid and unpaid work. This means it shows how much time people spend on things like jobs where they get paid, as well as chores at home that they do without payment.
The government of India conducts this survey to learn about how men and women spend their time differently. It also helps the government plan better policies to make life fairer for everyone. The Time Use Survey in India started in 2019, and the second round was done in 2024.
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The Time Use Survey is different from other surveys because it gives detailed information about how people spend their time. Here are some key features of the survey:
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The Time Use Survey shows that unpaid work, especially household chores and caregiving, is mostly done by women. However, this work is not counted in India’s economic measurements, like GDP (Gross Domestic Product). This means that the hard work women do at home is not recognized in the country’s economy.
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The Indian government has introduced several programs to help reduce the gender gap and make sure both men and women have equal opportunities. Some important initiatives include:
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The Time Use Survey shows us that women still do most of the unpaid work at home. To make life fairer for both men and women, we need to take several steps:
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In conclusion, the Time Use Survey 2024 gives us valuable information about how time is spent in India, especially when it comes to unpaid work done by women. If we recognize this work and create policies to support women, we can move towards a fairer and more equal society for all.
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‘The Time Use Survey 2024 highlights a stark gender disparity in unpaid household work’— Discuss the socio-economic implications of this disparity on women’s workforce participation in India.
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