Pandemic placed burden of childcare and household chores on women, survey finds

Men must carry out their share of unpaid care and housework duties, rather than abiding to traditional gender roles, Malta’s equality commission has advised over a survey showing hours spent doing household tasks and childcare during the COVID-19 pandemic increased for women.

According to an online survey between June and July 2020, the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality found that during the pandemic, the increase in the number of hours spent doing household tasks and childcare increased more for women than for men, while the time spent on leisure, personal care and sleep decreased more for women than it did for men.

58.4% of female respondents stated that the hours spent on housework increased during the pandemic, when compared to 55.2% of men.

Female respondents reported a higher overall increase (63%) when it comes to caring for children, in comparison to male respondents (60.7%). Moreover, double the number of female respondents reported an increase in the category ‘Increased by 13 hours or more’.

There is also a substantial 16% gap between female and male respondents reporting an increase in the time spent on home-schooling – 80.2% for females and 64.2% for males.

Female respondents were more likely to report an increase in the hours spent caring for dependent adults during the pandemic – 54.7% in comparison to 44% of males.

49.2% of women with children of 15 years or younger stated that their leisure and free time decreased compared to 42.4% of men; 52.8% of female respondents with children of 15 years or younger reported a decrease in the time spent on personal care, compared to 36.8% of males.

43.8% of female respondents and 39.3% of male respondents with children of 15 years or younger reported a decrease in sleeping hours. Many more female respondents felt that domestic responsibilities were not equally shared with their partner in comparison to male respondents.

The NCPE called for paid paternity and parental leave on “a use-it-or-lose-it basis” to be introduced in order to incentivise men to take on more child caring responsibilities. “These measures will influence and challenge stereotypical public perceptions of men as breadwinners and women as child carers.”

The commission also called for paid parental leave for both women and men. “The cost of this measure would be offset by a decrease in the expenditure on childcare services since these services, especially for very small children, are substantially costly.”

The NCPE said employers must be incentivised to support male workers in their choices regarding the sharing of family responsibilities.

“A Gender Impact Assessment of the pandemic, and of the recovery measures so far, should be carried out to enable the development of gender-sensitive recovery measures and structural change.

“COVID-19 response plans and every recovery measure to include the participation of women and women’s organisations; aim to transform inequities in unpaid work by enhancing care services for both women and men; and design and implement socio-economic national plans, particularly focusing on the lives and futures of women and girls, by fostering a society and an economy that values women’s contribution to society and takes into account their specific needs and experiences.”

The NCPE also said childcare support had to be expanded for working parents particularly when schools, childcare and respite care services are closed or limited due to COVID-19.