Colombian women spend twice as much time on unpaid domestic work

Colombian women spend more than double the time men dedicate to unpaid household chores, according to data from the Departamento Administrativo Nacional de Estadística (DANE) ^[1].

This disparity highlights the persistent influence of traditional gender roles in the region. The gap suggests that while men may focus more on labor outside the home, women continue to carry the primary burden of domestic maintenance and caregiving.

The findings from the time-use survey indicate a stark imbalance in how daily hours are distributed between genders ^[1]. Women are responsible for the majority of the weight of the household, a trend that limits their available time for other professional or personal pursuits.

According to the report, the amount of time women dedicate to these non-remunerated tasks is more than two times the amount spent by men ^[1]. This trend is consistent across various demographics in Colombia, where domestic labor remains heavily gendered.

DANE's data provides a quantitative look at the invisible labor that sustains the Colombian economy. While men often hold the primary roles in external employment, the internal infrastructure of the home relies predominantly on women's unpaid efforts ^[2].

The report underscores a social structure where household management is not shared equally. This distribution of labor often results in a "double burden" for women who participate in the formal workforce while remaining the primary caregivers and cleaners at home ^[2].

By documenting these hours, the government agency provides a baseline for understanding gender inequality in Colombia. The data suggests that cultural expectations regarding the division of labor have not shifted at the same pace as the economic integration of women into the professional sphere ^[3].