As Simmi* proudly places her specialty kadai paneer on the dinner table, her husband whines. “Huh! We had it just last week!”
Ever since getting married in 2014, Simmi claims she has done the lion’s share of household chores whether its cooking, cleaning or caring for their two-year-old son or her ailing mother-in-law, who lives with them in their townhouse in Melbourne’s south-eastern suburb.
31-year-old Simmi says she sometimes feels highly unappreciated and would like to break this cycle at the earliest.
“I am not complaining, but I definitely feel I need to break this vicious cycle that I am in …cook, clean, feed and sleep. I am now really desperate to go out and start looking for work that would at least give me some monetary return,” Simmi told SBS Punjabi.
Simmi’s narrative reflects that of many women across the globe. A recent report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that most unpaid work or household chores are still performed by women, even as men are starting to pick up the slack.
Women still do more household work than men, across the globe. Source: Maskot/Getty Images
Despite a huge number of women stepping out to work, women carrying out the bulk of unpaid labour remains a global phenomenon. But the problem is particularly acute in countries like India where women’s unpaid labour hours are second only to Mexico.
According to the report, Indian women spend nearly six hours a day on household chores, even when they have pulled a full day in office, while men put in less than an hour.
Data compiled by consultancy firm McKinsey indicates that if this unpaid work were to be valued in the same way as paid work, it would contribute $300 billion a year to India’s economic output.
Meanwhile in Australia, while women are spending nearly 5 hours 11 minutes in carrying out the household work, Aussie men typically spend two hours 52 mins each day - precisely half an hour more than the British or New Zealand men and 40 minutes more than the Italians or French.
Women in Australia spend 5 hours 11 minutes in household work while Aussie men typically spend two hours 52 mins each day, figures show. Source: Getty images
But ladies, if you’re wondering where do the most helpful men stay?
You will find them in countries like Canada, Denmark, Norway and Sweden where the disparity between men and women spending time on household chores is relatively low.
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