Unequal Sharing of Domestic Work: A Time Use Study of Farm Households in Western Uttar Pradesh

Abstract

The article examines the issue of unpaid work and sharing of work between male and female family members in cultivating households on the basis of a field survey of 240 farm households in two districts in the agriculturally developed western region of Uttar Pradesh. The study reveals that women’s total workload was much higher than that of men. The pattern of work and time use have hardly changed. The burden of domestic work and care basically falls on women of the household. The participation of men in these activities is nominal. Women’s contribution to farm activities is significant, and further, they do most of the work in animal husbandry. Consequently, they have much less time for leisure and sleep. Our study highlights the permanence of traditional intra-household gender disparities in the distribution of work within the household. These values are transferred to the next generation as young girls are expected to help their mothers in carrying out domestic duties and care work, while boys have no such obligation.

Gender-Inequity in Eyecare: Variation by Service Level and Location in North India

“…However, in rural households, women's total workload is much higher than that of men, including farm activities over and above domestic work, further constraining time for personal chores. 17 In rural areas served by our network, female and male literacy was 57% and 77% respectively, with 83% women and 52% men not employed in organized sectors. 18 Lack of autonomy and low literacy have been shown to negatively influence health-seeking behavior in a neighboring Indian state.…”

Comparison of eyecare utilization at two service delivery levels during the COVID-19 pandemic as a measure of their impact: A multicentric retrospective analysis across four North Indian high-volume eyecare organizations

“…The south Indian study reports a similarly decreasing trend in eyecare utilization by females at the tertiary center level; however, the percentage decrease is less than that reported in our study and similar calculations have not been performed for VCs or for males. [ 23 ] Existing research highlights the gender discrimination faced by females in access to healthcare, which can be attributed to the disproportionately large burden of household and farm work borne by them due to intrahousehold gender disparities,[ 27 ] leaving little time for personal chores and self-care. Such situations exist over and above previously reported barriers—increasing distance from clinics and hospitals, residence in rural areas, and females having little autonomy over their own actions.…”