Addressing Women's Unpaid Care Work

Summary of Key Facts and Data:

• Unpaid Work Analysis: A recent panel discussion emphasized the need for the Indian government to discern if women engage in unpaid caregiving due to personal preference or societal obligation. This conversation took place at the MoSPI's Time Use Survey data-user conference.

• Time Use Survey (TUS): The TUS aims to assess how Indians allocate time across various activities, including paid and unpaid work. A key finding from the latest 2024 survey reveals that Indian women spend an average of 137 minutes per day on unpaid care, higher than the 75 minutes spent by men.

• Impact on Female Labor Force Participation: Increasing unpaid care work contributes to 'time poverty' among women, limiting their ability to participate in the workforce. According to a 2022 Observer Research Foundation report, every two-hour increase in unpaid labor correlates with a 10% decrease in the Female Labor Force Participation Rate (FLFPR). The current FLFPR is 33.7% for women (15+ years), compared to 77% for men. For young women (15-29 years), this rate drops to 21.4%.

• Growing Care Responsibilities: Over the past five years, young women aged 15-29 increased their caregiving time from 154 to 164 minutes daily, whereas young men only increased by 2 minutes to 77 minutes. This trend highlights a growing gender disparity in the caregiving burden.

• Future Recommendations: The panel suggested enhancements to the TUS, including assessing digital access among household members and exploring women's passive or supervisory caregiving needs.

• Activities Covered: Unpaid caregiving includes childcare, adult dependents' care, assistance to non-dependents, and related traveling.

• Rising Concern: The escalating demands on women's time for caregiving could limit their opportunities for skill acquisition and paid employment, challenging policymakers to address these issues effectively.

Important Points:

• Unpaid Care Work: Need to differentiate motivations—preference vs. obligation.
• Time Allocation: Women spend 137 minutes; men spend 75 minutes on unpaid caregiving.
• Female Labor Force Participation Rate:
  • Overall: 33.7% (women), 77% (men).
  • Young women (15-29): 21.4%; young men: 60.7%.
• Impact of Time Poverty: Two-hour unpaid labor increase = 10% decrease in FLFPR.
• Recommendations:
  • Capture digital access and its influence on time use.
  • Assess women's passive caregiving needs.
• Increase Over Five Years: Young women increased caregiving by 10 minutes; young men by 2 minutes.