Exploring Gendered Dynamics in Performing Domestic Care Activities

Authors

  • Marrium Zahra Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
  • Shahla Tabassum Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Abstract

Women’s domestic care work has been overlooked and is considered unproductive. It is rarely counted in the domestic, communal, and national economies. This research explores the total time men and women spend on domestic care activities the economic value they perceive and the market value of these domestic activities. The research design of the study is quantitative and uses only the domestic care dimension of the tool developed by Tabassum et al. (2023). The total sample of 530 participants, i.e., 170 males and 360 females, was selected from the inner areas of Rawalpindi, Pakistan, using simple probability random sampling. The results revealed significant gender differences in time spent on domestic care activities, with females spending 86,158 hours per month while men spent only 16032 hours per month, meaning women spent more than five times more. The findings further revealed the perceived economic value by the participants to be 9.76 million rupees in a month, while the market-based economic value was 20.44 million rupees in a month, which is four times higher than the perceived economic value, showing the undervaluation of these domestic activities by participants. The study emphasizes the need for a more equitable recognition of roles and contributions within the domestic sphere and the necessity of redistributing gender roles and reevaluating social assumptions regarding the financial and emotional costs involved with these vital obligations.

Keywords: Care, Domestic, Gender, Unpaid, Value, Work

Author Biographies

Marrium Zahra, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Marrium Zahra is a dedicated professional with a strong academic background in Gender Studies, holding an MPhil degree from Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi Pakistan. She has extensive experience in project coordination, research, and community engagement, focusing on gender-related issues mainly Girls Education, human trafficking, and unpaid Care Work. Marrium has worked as a Program Officer, Project Co-lead, and Research Associate on various research projects. She has expertise in qualitative and quantitative research, data analysis, and thematic analysis using MAXQDA and SPSS. She is committed to advancing gender equality through research, community engagement, and education.

Shahla Tabassum, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Dr. Shahla Tabassum is an accomplished academic and researcher, currently serving as the Head of the Department of Gender Studies at Fatima Jinnah Women University (FJWU), Rawalpindi, Pakistan. With a career spanning over three decades, she has significantly contributed to the field of Gender Studies through her teaching, research, and consultancy, and has been an active advocate for gender equality and women’s rights.

She has led several research projects and publications, focusing on topics like women’s contributions in the care economy, women in digital spaces, sexual harassment, rape survivors and girls’ education. Additionally, Dr. Tabassum has worked as a consultant and trainer on feminist research methodologies, aiming to promote inclusivity and equality in Pakistan. Dr. Tabassum has received several honors, including the Fatima Jinnah Award for Research Productivity and nominations for the Global Partners in Education Award.

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Published

2025-01-30

Issue

Vol. 11 No. 1 (2025): Proceedings from the 8th Global Issues Conference

Section

Global Issues Conference Proceedings

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