Online Reporter
Ivan Zhakata-Herald Correspondent
Women in Zimbabwe continue to shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and care work, spending nearly twice as much time on household chores and caregiving as men, according to findings from a new Government survey.
Presenting the 2025 Time Use Survey results, Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZimStat) labour statistics manager Mr Clapton Munongerwa said women spend an average of 5,9 hours per day on committed work, which includes unpaid household labour and caregiving, compared to 3,8 hours for men.
“This represents a significant disparity, with females spending 1,5 times more time than males on unpaid labour,” Mr Munongerwa said.
The imbalance extends into the formal and productive economy. Men spend a higher proportion of their day — 17,5 percent — on contracted work, which includes employment, education and production of goods for own use, compared to 8,7 percent for women.
The unequal distribution of work has direct implications for leisure and rest.
Men report more free time for socialising, leisure and religious activities, averaging 5,7 hours per day, compared to 5,2 hours for women. Women, however, spend slightly more time on necessary activities such as sleeping and eating.
The gender gap in unpaid work is most pronounced among adults aged 25 to 34. In this age group, women spend 228 percent more time on unpaid care work than men.
“For every hour a man spends on unpaid care work in this age group, a woman spends about 3,28 hours,” Mr Munongerwa said.
The survey further shows that employment status does not reduce women’s unpaid workload.
Employed women perform unpaid domestic and care work at nearly the same rate as women who are not employed, highlighting the persistence of traditional gender roles.
Geographic differences also emerge, with rural women experiencing a heavier combined workload than their urban counterparts.
Rural women have a work-to-leisure ratio of 2,04 compared to 1,56 for women in urban areas, reflecting greater demands on their time.
The 2025 Time Use Survey interviewed 7 516 households nationwide and was conducted in line with international standards.
The data is intended to inform policy formulation and monitor progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG indicator 5.4.1, which measures the value of unpaid domestic and care work.
“These findings are critical for evidence-based planning and for developing policies that address the unequal distribution of productive and reproductive work,” Mr Munongerwa said.
