Survey discloses reality of the differences between the genders

1. Illustrate the value of gender disaggregated data in shedding light on gender disparities in our society. 

2. Raise discussions about gender roles.

 

The simple time use study of a familiar home environment is a useful way of demonstrating the different workloads of women and men (see recommended exercise below). One way of bringing the statistics to life would have been to describe the average day of a working class woman and man in South Africa. The point to stress is that no matter where in the world you are, women work, on average, about one third more hours than men because in addition to their house chores, they engage in work outside the home, either in the formal economy (workplace) subsistence economy (agriculture) or the informal sector (common in Southern Africa). Time use studies at a national level are rare in our region but are an important tool for policy makers.

 

1. With reference to the time use study just done in South Africa, lead a discussion on some of the policy implications of this, e.g. state supported child care facilities. Is there any discussion in your country on building the unwaged work of women into national accounts?  

2. What is the impact of unpaid care work on women’s social and economic status?

1. Think for a moment about the household you come from, and the principal male/female figure in this household. Draw up a simple time use sheet for a typical working day for these two individuals as follows:

 

Business Unusual fact sheets Refer to fact sheet three.