A recent study by the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC) reveals changes in the division of unpaid care work in Uganda, showcasing the positive effects of evolving mindsets in households and communities.
Conducted in partnership with the School of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University and CARE International Uganda, the three-year study aimed to address entrenched gender norms that place a heavy burden of unpaid care work on women.
Dr. Madina Guloba, Senior Research Fellow at EPRC, explained that the study focused on encouraging families and communities to adopt more equitable caregiving roles.
"Our goal was to shift the rigid gender norms that confine women to unpaid care work. By promoting mindset changes, we hoped to see more balanced household and community dynamics," Dr. Guloba noted.
The study utilised a "power model" that involved community leaders, role-model men, and women's groups actively promoting gender equality in household chores and caregiving responsibilities.
Findings showed that engaging community leaders, such as church figures, youth representatives, and other local influencers, alongside household-level initiatives, was essential for creating meaningful change.
"When we engaged solely at the community level, the impact was minimal. Similarly, addressing only households saw limited change. However, combining both approaches led to profound shifts," Dr. Guloba noted.
The impact extended beyond perceptions, affecting actual time allocation for unpaid care work. At the start of the study in 2021, both women and men spent an average of seven hours daily on unpaid care activities. Post-intervention, women's unpaid care time dropped by an average of one hour and 35 minutes. This freed-up time allowed women to engage in self-care and income-generating activities, enhancing their financial independence and overall health.
Dr. Guloba highlighted the potential for government programs like Uganda's Parish Development Model to integrate similar initiatives for mindset change, suggesting these efforts could help shift social norms more broadly, enabling more Ugandans to engage in paid work and reducing the economic burdens of unpaid care work.
Dr. Peace Musiimenta, a senior lecturer from the School of Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University, emphasized the need for deep-seated changes in social norms to tackle gender inequality and reduce gender-based violence.
Currently on sabbatical, Dr. Musiimenta advocated for reforms in early socialisation practices, calling for initiatives that instill gender sensitivity from a young age.
"Real change doesn't happen overnight. It requires a collective acknowledgment of the need for transformation," she explained.
Dr. Musiimenta noted that educating children on shared household roles is a critical starting point.
Dr. Musiimenta also pointed out that school curricula often reinforce traditional gender roles, depicting women as primary caregivers and men as breadwinners.
She recommended implementing gender-sensitive training programs in teacher training colleges to ensure educators do not perpetuate outdated gender norms.
"We need to return to teacher training colleges and train educators to be sensitive to gender equality and women's empowerment needs," she stated, suggesting that a more progressive curriculum could reshape perspectives on gender roles for future generations.
Dr. Musiimenta also linked traditional gender expectations to incidents of gender-based violence, noting that societal norms depicting men as providers uninvolved in domestic tasks can lead to conflict.
"If a man assists while his wife is washing dishes or cleaning, it eases her transition to cooking and prevents misunderstandings. But if he's simply waiting to be served, frustration can build, potentially leading to violence," she explained.
Her remarks underline the need for broader societal changes and policies that promote shared domestic responsibilities to foster gender equality and reduce domestic violence.
Margret Ayebare, Member of Parliament for Mbarara District, highlighted the link between unpaid care work and domestic violence, advocating for increased male involvement in household tasks as a step toward reducing family conflicts.
Ayebare emphasized the heavy burden of unpaid care work on women, noting that "most unpaid care work is done by women," which can lead to exhaustion and potential household conflicts.
A study by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics reveals that Ugandan women spend an average of 6.6 hours daily on unpaid domestic tasks such as childcare, cooking, and cleaning, contributing to fatigue and increased stress.
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Ayebare noted that fatigue from excessive unpaid care work can strain marriages, especially when women, exhausted from household responsibilities, cannot meet certain marital expectations.
"When a woman is truly exhausted, especially when it comes to marriage and conjugal rights, she may tell her husband, 'I'm too tired.' If he misinterprets this, conflicts can arise," she explained.
The study's findings also showed that households where men contribute to domestic work experience improved relationships and reduced domestic violence.
Ayebare shared examples from the study, showing that men who helped take children to school or assisted with morning routines reported increased harmony and love in their families.
"When a husband wakes up to help with tasks like taking children to school while his wife prepares breakfast, it creates a sense of partnership," she remarked, adding that such cooperation fosters happiness and reduces domestic conflicts.
Ayebare's statements underscore the importance of addressing gender imbalances in household duties, suggesting that shared responsibilities could improve family dynamics and reduce domestic violence.
