Blog 1_What is unpaid care and why does it matter: Ethiopian context

Unpaid care: Is it shared equally between men and women? and why does it matter: Ethiopian context

 

What is Unpaid Care?

Unpaid care work is defined as direct care of people and domestic work for family members and other households. It includes activities such as caring for children and the elderly, cooking, cleaning, washing, and fetching water or firewood, (OECD, 2019).  These tasks vary in physical effort and time-intensity, depending on location, socio-economic status, as well as age, marital status and number of children. Despite the fact that unpaid work is an essential component of any functioning economy and society, it is frequently undervalued by society and policy makers. Women’s unpaid domestic and care work negatively impacts their ability to participate in the labour force and global policy discussions. Boys and girls do different types of unpaid work, with boys spending less time on caring and chores and more time on tasks. Women are less likely to be in paid work and earn less than men in low- and middle-income countries. Employed women are expected to be less likely to spend much time on housework. Gender wage differentials vary in impact, cause, and persistence, with the global gender wage gap estimated at 20% in 2018/19. (Carmichael et al., 2023, 1–37)

“To address the imbalance in unpaid care involves building a caring economy where all policy decisions are based on care not competition; where men and women share care equally and where an ethic of care can counter the violence in our world today”

A feminist writer Nikki van Der Gaag (Valerie, 2022)

 

An increasing body of evidence shows that women’s domestic roles in the household limit or orient their participation. Women’s disproportionate share in the paid economy, which leads to gender gaps in employment outcomes, wages, and pensions, and the context of existing theories, including time availability, bargaining power, gender ideology, as well as other demographic and socioeconomic factors related to Ethiopian women’s unpaid and domestic work were analysed  from different articles. Existing literature review  (Crivello et al., 2019) showed that patriarchal structures and gender stereotypes continue to make the workplace unwelcoming for women on both an individual and societal level. Housework is highly gendered, with women carrying out the majority of it. Young children affect how much time women spend doing housework, suggesting that national strategies should focus on educating women, providing access to credit services, and improving employment opportunities to reduce poverty.

In Ethiopia, the impact of women’s unpaid domestic and care work on their ability to participate in the labour force and in global policy discussions has grown in importance. The widespread notion that women are primary carers in most societies has influenced labour markets around the globe. Time spent on unpaid household work in childhood and adolescence negatively impacts future opportunities for paid work and earnings. Boys and girls do different types of unpaid household work, with boys spending less time on caring and chores and more time on tasks. Young women and girls spend more time doing unpaid work in adolescence, which negatively affects economic opportunities, access to work,  job quality and hourly earnings. Women have performed more housework compared to what was performed by men, with more traditional gender perception and practise resulting in more housework hours.(Desta, 2019, 507–541) 

 

Why does it matter: Ethiopian context?

It is known that the traditional division of labour between men and women restricts women to domestic work, which includes all aspects of food preparation, fetching water, gathering wood for fuel, and taking care of the family. Existing literature states  that longer hours of household work in childhood and adolescence are associated with higher rates of young women’s employment participation and restrict their rights to association, leisure, education, professional development, paid work opportunities, and participation in politics. Social and cultural norms, an excessive amount of unpaid work, a lack of access to financial and material resources, and lower bargaining power in the labour market all work against women’s participation in development activities. Women’s political participation in Ethiopia is hindered by economic, religious, social, and cultural factors. To encourage women to use public services, governments must increase service accessibility, provide training, and support community-based initiatives.(Kenea, R. B, 2019).

Women play a significant role in agricultural and food production but are often unpaid and paid less for the same work than men. They manage complex households and pursue multiple livelihood strategies, producing agricultural crops, tending animals, processing and preparing food, collecting fuel and water, engaging in trade and marketing, caring for family members, and maintaining homes.(Abate, N, 2017) and this is because of the gendered nature of domestic and reproductive roles, women and girls are often expected to assume unpaid domestic work and care. 

Strategies should be developed to reduce gender inequality, empower women, change gender norms, give women a priority in decision-making, strengthen pressure groups, and use affirmative action. Women are more likely to spend more time in agricultural activities than men.(Kassa, S, 2015). Unpaid work is heavily feminised and the burden of unpaid work may increase or decrease as a result of sustainable interventions. The constraints which inhibit women’s participation in development endeavours are heavy domestic workload, low time spent away from home, less freedom of movement than men, and low educational status. If women are given more rights, taboos are broken, and cultural attitudes towards them change, their labour contribution could be appreciated. The primary barriers to young women’s future prospects and the primary causes of child marriage are unpaid domestic work and the control of women’s sexuality. Marriage is strongly related to young people’s future prospects. This is characterised by very limited employment and economic opportunities for youth and these limitations have led to increasing migration flows; and even international migration.(Berhanu et al., 2019) 

Unpaid domestic work limits women’s career opportunities, so it is advisable to encourage a more gender-equitable division of domestic labour. Changes in traditional gender norms can be seen in the increased value placed on young women’s participation in economic activities outside the home and in primary education for girls and young women. Finances for secondary education of young women should be provided, as well as measures to allay parents’ worries about their daughters moving to more urban areas as their chances of successfully completing secondary education would rise. 

  Key points

1. Girls spend more time in the home than boys, leading to a gender wage gap.
2. Childhood household chores have a greater impact on young women’s employment opportunities.
3. Housework is influenced by family members’ contributions and housework is associated with the number of young children.
4. Women face barriers to decision making due to domestic labour, lack of freedom, and low education. 
5. Women are underrepresented in public leadership due to socio-cultural attitudes.
6. Negative attitudes perpetuate inequality, hindering women and girls’ empowerment.
7. Unpaid domestic work and control of women’s sexuality hinder young women’s future.
8. Women’s participation in and time spent on housework will decline as they receive higher education.
9. Marriage is strongly linked to young people’s future prospects due to limited employment and economic opportunities, leading to increased migration flows and a decrease in the value of secondary education.

Recommendations

 

Policy makers can improve women ‘ s unpaid care burden and contribute to gender equality through: 

1. Providing low-income households access to credit services and improving employment opportunities will increase the resources available to women, give them more power, and minimise gendered housework. 
2. Young women’s secondary education should be supported financially or by easing parents’ concerns about their daughters moving to more urban areas. This would increase their chances of completing secondary education successfully.
3. Policy should support young women’s economic outcomes and take into account gender differences in children’s hours of unpaid household work as well as their material living conditions.
4. Governments must create laws to encourage women to work in the public sector and address structural barriers to improve women’s contribution to economic development.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, Women’s participation in decision-making is hindered by heavy domestic labour loads, less freedom of movement, and low educational status, leading to a lack of policy and resource allocation. Women’s labour contribution should be valued through increased rights, taboos broken, and societal attitudes changed to strengthen and develop them. In addition, women are underrepresented in public leadership and decision-making positions due to socio-cultural attitudes, a lack of experience, domestic responsibilities, and negative attitudes towards women’s issues. Economic, religious, social, and cultural factors were responsible for low levels of political participation among women, but political engagement enabled them to address their needs and issues. Policies to support young women’s economic outcomes should take gender differences in children’s hours of unpaid household work and material living conditions into account.

 

Further reading: https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/podcast/2023/03/30/unpaid-care-work-women-economic-prospects-growth-gender-equality-development-podcast&sa=D&source=docs&ust=1687155875970331&usg=AOvVaw3vjth9W5fGRNGMiXcbW3sG

 

Reference

 

1. Abate, N. (2017) ”An investigation of gender division of labour: The case of Delanta district, South Wollo zone, Ethiopia”. Journal of Agricultural Extension and Rural Development, 9(9), 207 – 214.
2. Berhanu, A., Tesama, D., Worku, B., Mekonnen, A., Juanola, L., & Kwaak, A. v. d. (2019) “The situation of child marriage in Qewet and Bahir Dar Zurida: a focus on gender roles, parenting and young people’s future perspectives”. Yes I Do
3. Carmichael, F., Darko, C., Kanji, S., & Vasilakos, N. (2023) ”The Contribution of Girls’ Longer Hours In Unpaid Work To Gender Gaps In Early Adult Employment: Evidence From Ethiopia, India, Peru, And Vietnam”. Feminist Economics, 29(1), 1 – 37
4. Crivello, G., Boyden, J., & Pankhurst, A. (2019)”‘Motherhood in Childhood’: Generational Change in Ethiopia. Feminist Encounters: A Journal of Critical Studies in Culture and Politics”, 3(1-2), 12.
5. Desta, C. G. (2019) “Resources, Time and gender: Determinants of women’s housework in Bahir Dar and nearby rural villages, Northwest Ethiopia”. Journal of Family Issues, 41(4), 507–541.
6. Kassa, S. (2015) ”Challenges and Opportunities of Women Political Participation in Ethiopia”. Journal of Global Economics, 3(4), 162.
7. Kenea, R. B. (2019) “Impacts of gender differences on women’s participation in community work in Abbay Chomman woreda, Ethiopia”. International Journal of Management Studies and Social Science Research, 13(6), 86 – 118
8. Source: OECD Gender Institutions and Development Database (GID-DB), 2019, oecd.stat.org.
9. Valerie (2022) “Unpaid care work and motherhood: MMM calls on ILO to change employment approach”, MMM. Available at: https://makemothersmatter.org/unpaid-care-work-and-motherhood-mmm-calls-on-ilo-to-change-employment-approach