The Time Use Survey 2024, released by the ministry of statistics and programme implementation on February 25, marks a significant effort in effectively capturing women’s workforce participation. Conducted after a four-year gap since the first National TUS in 2019, the survey provides crucial insights into how men and women allocate their time across various activities. These surveys serve as essential tools for designing gender equality policies by offering a detailed account of time spent on paid and unpaid work, as well as leisure and well-being activities.
The release of TUS 2024 is timely, particularly as India has witnessed increasing labour force participation among women, with self-employment rising significantly. A 2018 report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) emphasised the importance of time use surveys not only in addressing development-related concerns but also in understanding gender-based inequalities. These insights are invaluable for macroeconomic policymaking, particularly in emerging and developing economies.
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Findings of Time Use Survey 2024
The TUS 2024 reveals a notable increase in women’s participation in economic activities, rising from 21.8% in 2019 to 25% in 2024, while men’s participation increased from 70.9% to 75% in the productive age group of 15–59 years. However, a critical question remains: Has women’s involvement in unpaid and care work decreased as their employment has increased?
The survey indicates a slight reduction in the time women spend on unpaid domestic services, from 315 minutes per day in 2019 to 305 minutes in 2024, suggesting greater engagement in paid employment. However, 41% of women aged 15–59 years still participate in caregiving for household members, compared to only 21.4% of men in the same age group. Notably, women’s participation in caregiving has increased significantly, from 32.7% in 2019 to 41% in 2024. Additionally, women’s average time spent on caregiving has increased from 137 minutes per day in 2019 to 140 minutes in 2024, further highlighting the persistent gender gap in unpaid care work.
Burden of unpaid work
The TUS 2024 reinforces the fact that women continue to bear a disproportionate burden of unpaid and care work. Women generally spend more time in childcare, instruction, care for dependent adults, and assistance to non-dependent adult household members. Despite an increase in female labour force participation from 25.3% in 2017–18 to 45.2% in 2023–24, as reported by the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS), additional responsibilities related to unpaid and care work pose significant challenges for women’s employment sustainability and upward mobility.
Excessive time spent on unpaid and care work constrains women’s employment choices, often pushing them toward low-paying jobs and self-employment. A recent ILO statistical brief (2024) reported that 748 million people aged 15 and above remain outside the labour force due to care responsibilities, of whom 708 million are women and 40 million are men. Further, the ILO’s 2024 resolution on decent work and the care economy, adopted at the 112th session of the International Labour Conference, emphasised the need for investments in high-quality, affordable, and accessible care services, including childcare for workers in the informal economy, to facilitate their transition to formal employment.
Aligning with global gender equality goals
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5.4, under Goal 5: Gender Equality, calls for the recognition and valuation of unpaid care and domestic work through public services, infrastructure, and social protection policies, while promoting shared responsibility within households. Achieving this goal necessitates regular data collection to uncover the extent, nature, and challenges of unpaid care work and its impact on women’s employment.
Insights from national time use surveys are instrumental in understanding the nuances of paid and unpaid work and formulating effective social protection and care policies. Policies aimed at expanding childcare support for informal sector women workers, early childhood education, and elderly care services can encourage more women to engage in full-time employment. Additionally, TUS 2024 data can help identify vulnerabilities and disparities across different sectors, necessitating targeted policy interventions.
Countries that have conducted regular time use surveys have been more effective in promoting gender equality policies. Even the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) emphasised the importance of such surveys in measuring unpaid work and recognising the contributions of both men and women to the economy.
With the release of the 2nd National Time Use Survey 2024, it is evident that the Indian government is committed to institutionalising regular time use surveys. This effort will contribute significantly to evidence-based policymaking and accelerate progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals 2030.
Dr Ellina Samantroy Jena is a fellow at V V Giri National Labour Institute, Noida.