A recent UNICEF report reveals that 32.9% of girls engage in unpaid domestic tasks, a stark contrast to only 9.1% of boys, significantly impacting girls’ education and learning. Titled Time spent on unpaid domestic and caregiving services by children in India: Insights into gender, age and learning, the report is based on India’s 2019 Time Use Survey by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. It highlights that girls spend an average of 134 minutes daily on these tasks, almost 70% more than boys, who average 79 minutes.
Dr. Ellina Samantroy, the lead author of the report, emphasizes that extended hours of domestic chores for girls disrupt their learning and overall well-being. According to her, girls are often unable to engage in post-school activities like homework and play, essential to their cognitive and social development. This additional domestic burden primarily includes tasks like cooking and cleaning, which are socially designated to girls, with 21.9% involved in food preparation compared to only 2.3% of boys and 18.3% involved in cleaning, versus 2.6% of boys.
The report also finds age and location play roles in children’s involvement in domestic work. Adolescents aged 15-17 participate more in domestic tasks, spending an average of 124 minutes daily compared to 95 minutes for younger children aged 6-14. Moreover, the study shows that children in rural areas are more engaged in domestic work than their urban counterparts, with 21% of rural children involved in household chores compared to 15.7% in urban settings.
Post Your Comments