IBGE shows that the growing participation of women in the labor market did not reduce the daily hours of work with household activities. On the contrary, in the age group from 25 to 49 years old, where the participation of women in remunerated activities ...

IBGE shows that the growing participation of women in the labor market did not reduce the daily hours of work with household activities.  On the contrary, in the age group from 25 to 49 years old, where the participation of women in remunerated activities is greater and coincides with the presence of younger children, the household work occupies 94.0% of women.  In the country, 109.2 million persons of 10 years old or more declared they made household activities; being that from this group, 71.5 million (65.4%) were women and 37.7 million (34.6%) were men.  In the total of the male population, it can be observed, in the Northeast, the lowest participation of men in these activities (46.7%,) while in the South, the highest rate (62%) was observed.  Also, in the male population, those who more perform activities in house are the more schooled (54%), while for the women the opposite occurs.  According to this study it is also possible to conclude that retirement allows men to dedicate more to these activities.  Men with 60 years old or more are the ones who more dedicate their time to these activities (13 weekly hours).  On the female side, the household work requires more time in the age group 50 to 59 years old, reaching 31 weekly hours, approximately 3 times more than the one dedicated by men of the same age.  These and other information can be found in the new study of IBGE, which researches domestic activities of the National Household Sample Survey /PNAD of 2001 and 2005, period in which the number of hours dedicated to this task began to be investigated.  With this material, it was also possible to analyze information of weekly hours of work and time of dislocation, which allows, for example, calculate an approximate value of available time for leisure and study.  Although IBGE has not made a specific survey about the use of time, this database of PNAD provides a partial vision of the topic.

In the analyses of families, the numbers show that the existence of a male partner inside the house represents an increase of approximately two weekly hours in domestic activities for women who declare themselves responsible for the household.  Among these women,  the major weekly hours of work observed in household activities occurred in families formed by a couple with children younger than 14 years old (29.7 weekly hours) but, in this same type of arrangement, where the woman does not have a partner, the average time used is 27.6 hours.

Since childhood, the domestic work is seen as a female activity and this can be confirmed by the low participation of boys in this work.  In 2005, approximately 83% of girls, from 10 to 17 years old, worked in these activities, while among boys of this same age group the proportion was 47.4%. The time spent in these activities differs significantly among both sexes: boys, 8.2 and girls, 14.3 weekly hours.

Among women, 90.6% work in domestic activities

According to IBGE, 109.2 million persons from 10 years old or more in all Brazil develop some kind of household activity.  Among this total, 71.5 million are women, or 65.4%.

However, in relation to the total female population, 90.6% of women work in household activities.  This proportion is 51.1% for men.  In the South Region, 92.4% of girls and 62.0% of boys are involved in these activities, the major national averages.  In the overall comparison, the highest household participation is concentrated in the age group between 50 and 59 years old, with 76.3% of total persons spending, on the average, 24.3 hours per week. Following come persons which have between 25 and 49 years old (75.1%), spending 21.5 hours.  However, in absolute terms, this population from 25 to 49 years old is the one that most has household activities with 49.4 million persons (32.4 million women).

In the male analysis, men with 60 years old or more are the ones who dedicate most of their time to household activities (13 weekly hours).  Retirement allows men more dedication to these activities in their houses. It is in the female group, with age between 50 and 59 years old, where the major weekly hours of work is observed, 31.0 weekly hours.  The woman of 60 years old or more, spends, on the average, 28.7 hours on these same activities.

Girls, since they are young, are directed to household tasks, approximately 83% of them perform these activities, while among boys this proportion is 47.4%.  The time spent is significantly different among them: boys 8.2 and girls 14.3 weekly hours.  It can be also observed, that the weekly remunerated average hours of work of the population from 10 to 17 years old is approximately 27.8 weekly hours for boys and 26.1 for girls.  These values are close to each other, from where we conclude that since early it may be observed a clear gender division of household tasks in residences.

Only 46.7% of men of the Northeast help in residences

Men from the Northeast have the lowest participation in household activities: 46.7% (10.3 hours per week) while women from the Northeast spend the major average of hours: 26.5.  The South Region has the major male participation of the study with 62% and weekly spending of 9.2 hours.

More schooled men help more in house

The lowest time dedicated to household activities by men and women was registered by the population with 12 years old or more of study.  For women of this level of scholarship, the household activity is approximately 5 hours/week lower than the one observed for less schooled women.  In the male population, the ones who more have tasks in households are the most schooled (54%), while for women the opposite occurs. The most schooled women are the ones who less contributed to the household activity: 22.6 hours per week.

Female double work shift

Regarding the employed population, the time spent in household activities of men and women is 9.1 and 21.8 weekly hours, respectively.  The remunerated female activity is 34.7 weekly hours and the male, 42.9.  Nevertheless, considering the remunerated weekly activity plus the household tasks in the five working days of the week, women, on the average, work 11.5 hours per day compared to 10.6 hours by men.

In the Southeast, the working hours for women are greater, with 36.7 hours on the average, with more 21.3 hours occupied with household activities.  In the Northeast Region, the female working hours had the lowest average of remunerated hours summing 31.2.  Contrasting with this scenario, the female workers from the Northeast occupy in household activities 23.9 hours per week, the highest average in the country.

Despite that the weekly hours of women in the labor market is lower, if considered the work of women at home with their family, the weekly hours of work of them surpasses the one of men by almost five hours.

Married women spend more hours in household tasks

The research also shows characteristics regarding the use of time with household activities, studying family arrangements.  The weekly hours of work of married women are approximately three times as much as that of men which have this position in the family (31.1 and 10.9 weekly hours, respectively).  The fact that the woman is or not married is another factor which influences in the number of hours spent during the week.  Those that are married and have children younger than 14 years old have the major average: 29.0 hours.  Among the non-married, this average is 22.0 weekly hours.

Black and dark-skinned women dedicate more time to house activities

According to the study of IBGE, color/race was a variable of not much influence in the condition of taking part or not in household activities in all the country.  However, through a comparable relation between sex and color, it could be observed that women of black and dark-skinned color (25.7 hours) dedicated more time in the occupation of household activities than white women (24.9 hours) even though the difference is not so much pronounced. In the Northeast, black and dark-skinned women spent approximately 27 weekly hours in these activities, almost 4 hours per day.

Income is a determinant factor in the use of time

In the poorest families (with family income up to 1 minimum salary per capita), the major time observed spent by women in household activities occurred in families formed by a couple with children younger than 14 years old (33.2 weekly hours).  In the case of families with family income per capita above 3 minimum salaries, the weekly hours of work is more intense for women in families formed by a couple with children older than 14 years old (26.5 weekly hours).

Women prefer to live close to work in order to save time

Among the employed population, 75% goes directly from work to house.  Among this total, 68.2% took up to 30 minutes to get there (71% of women and 66.3% of employed men). For women, summing the time dedicated to household activities, with the weekly hours of work and with the time of dislocation and, considering by supposition, the need of eight daily hours of sleep, there would be left four hours for leisure, studies, personal care, etc.  For men, this same exercise shows that the “free time” for other activities is five hours.

From 2001 to 2005, the performing of household activities increased in all the country

The study of IBGE showed, also that, between the years 2001 and 2005, there was an increase in the proportion of persons performing household activities from 66.9% to 71.5%.  This result can be a consequence of the slight decrease in the household remunerated work from 7.8% to 7.6%, and in the real income of persons from R$ 858 to R$ 763, in this period.

In 2001, the average total of weekly hours spent in household activities was 23.4.  In the division by genders, the data showed 10.9 hours spent by men and 29.0 hours spent by women.  In 2005, women had 25.3 hours spent with these activities and men, 9.9.  The average was 19.9.  Among the employed population, the reduction was from 18.4 to 16.3 hours. The average hours of work of women changed from 24.1 to 21.8 and men, from 10.0 to 9.1.  These decreases can also be associated with the acquisition of durable goods in the households and access to new technologies which favor the household work.