Care Economy
Why it Matters?
At a recent Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MoSPI) conference on the Time Use Survey, experts have called on the government to investigate whether the unpaid care work performed by women is a matter of choice or a result of social obligation.
What you should know?
The care economy includes all paid and unpaid activities related to caregiving services. This encompasses domestic work, childcare, and caring for dependent adult household members.
Key Findings from the Time Use Survey (TUS) 2024:
Nearly 84% of females participated in unpaid activities, compared to just 45.8% of males.
On average, females spent 137 minutes per day on unpaid caregiving, while males spent only 75 minutes.
The time spent by young women (15-29 years) on unpaid care has increased to 164 minutes per day, up from 154 minutes in 2019.
Time Poverty:
This term refers to the situation where the disproportionate burden of unpaid care work inhibits a person's ability to dedicate time to paid work or skill development.
It is a major barrier to women joining the workforce.
A cross-country estimate in 2014 showed that a two-hour increase in unpaid labour commitments correlates with decrease of 10% in the FLFPR.
India suffers from very low involvement of women in the workforce.
As of August 2025, India's female LFPR(FLFPR) stood at a low 33.7% for those aged 15 and above, compared to 77% for males.