Girls conditioned from childhood to take up domestic burden, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• Girls are conditioned from childhood to take up domestic burdens, leading to a significant gender gap in unpaid work.
• India's Time Use Survey (2025) reveals that the division of labor begins in childhood and intensifies into adulthood.
• By age 17, girls spend approximately 130 minutes daily on domestic and care work, significantly more than boys' 17 minutes.
• This early conditioning results in a substantial loss of leisure time for girls, impacting their overall development.
• The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2025 indicates that domestic responsibilities are the primary reason for women's absence from the labor force.

Detailed Insights:

• The gender gap in unpaid work begins to widen sharply around age 10, with girls' involvement increasing significantly.
• Despite increased domestic work, girls often spend slightly more time on schooling than boys at most ages.
• The primary cost for girls is a reduction in leisure time, which is crucial for building confidence, social networks, and a sense of agency.
• Cooking is a central activity in this divergence, with 42.4% of adolescent girls (15-17) reporting cooking compared to only 2.9% of boys.
• This early training prepares girls for household roles and boys for external roles, influencing their future career trajectories.
• Current policy interventions largely focus on adult women, but the Time Use Survey suggests interventions must begin in childhood.
• Schools can play a vital role by providing equal opportunities for practical life skills, such as cooking and home management, to all children.

Key Concepts Involved:

• India's Time Use Survey (2025): A survey measuring how individuals allocate their time to various activities, including paid and unpaid work.
• Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS): A large-scale survey conducted by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) to estimate employment and unemployment indicators.
• Unpaid Work: Domestic and care activities performed without monetary compensation, such as cooking, cleaning, and childcare.
• Gender Gap: The disparity between men and women in social, economic, political, or cultural attainments and opportunities.