Van Lang University's Department of Psychology consults on survey research results on women's unpaid care work during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City
On the morning of March 11, Ho Chi Minh City Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs (standing Committee for the Advancement of Women and Gender Equality in Ho Chi Minh City), Van Lang University and the United Nations Agency for Gender Equality and Empowerment Women (UN Women) Vietnam organized a consultation workshop on survey research results on women's unpaid care work during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City.
According to survey research on unpaid care work, this work is considered primarily women's work because of family responsibilities. In these cases, 81% of surveyed female workers said the reason was that no one took responsibility for these types of work.
Unpaid care work includes housework such as cooking and cleaning; care work also means taking care of children, the elderly, and the disabled; it is composed of relative work and community volunteer work such as visiting and celebrating relatives, and these tasks are not paid…
The research was conducted in Ho Chi Minh City from October 2021 to March 2022 with more than 2,000 interviewed participants from different occupational groups and fields to collect an input database to serve the implementation of Goal 3. National strategy and program on gender equality, prevention and response to gender-based violence for the period 2021 - 2030.
Women increase their 'nameless, unpaid work' because there is no one else took responsibility for it.
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Minh Ha - Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Society and Humanities, Head of Psychology Department at Van Lang University, representative of the research team, presented the main findings of the survey results on perceptions of unpaid care work, the reality of women's unpaid care work, responding to the increase in unpaid care work during the COVID-19 pandemic...
Accordingly, the awareness of the surveyed people about unpaid care work is not comprehensive. At the same time, this job is considered to be mainly women's work, with the highest proportion of men and women doing it because of family responsibilities (65.1% and 59.0% respectively), or because they do not have enough time to do it. Notably, for female workers, the reason for not having anyone in charge of the work accounts for the highest number - 81%, while the reason for have an interest in the work is only chosen by 30.5% of women and 16.3% of men. Sometimes, they also do housework at the request of others, and the rate of wives asking for their husbands is double, even 3-4 times higher than in the group of teachers/lecturers or freelance workers.
Although, the value of unpaid care work is also reflected in socio-economic development (for example, providing healthy human resources for the economy; reducing the government's burden when providing care, providing many welfare services for individuals and households...) but most survey respondents only mentioned the value of this work in terms of the family as a cell unit of the society: a good family is good society. If you cook and take care of your children well, the society will also benefit.
Perceptions about unpaid care work are due to the impact of culture, gender stereotypes, limitations of information, media and policies, especially because of the ancient concept of women with the kitchen and domestic chores,which is deeply ingrained in every Vietnamese family and people.
Women suffer a double impact
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Le Thi Minh Ha also said that unpaid care work has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic and in most categories of housework, caregiving or community work. Women are still the main ones doing housework, despite the participation of men.
According to Ms. Le Thi Lan Phuong, program officer of Ending Violence against Women (UN Women Vietnam), in the context of the Covid-19 epidemic, unpaid care work has increased, especially because children have to stay at home. Meanwhile, women (especially workers in vulnerable and informal sectors) have lost their jobs and income. Not to mention, women also face gender-based violence by their husbands or partners.
"In Vietnam, although there is no measurement data yet, through calls and hotlines, such as the Peace House switchboard (Center for Women and Development, Vietnam Women's Union) there was a more-than-doubled increase, up to 140% compared to 2020, and mainly reflects violence," Ms. Phuong said.
Also according to the survey results, unpaid care work during the pandemic has caused many negative impacts on the physical health, psychological and social life of both men and women, such as fatigue, physical stress, psychological stress, reduced social interactions, and family conflicts.
However, on the positive side, the increase in unpaid care work during the COVID-19 pandemic recorded participation of men and attracted them to share housework with women. Thereby, the men recognized the value of housework, feeling the hardship of housework and being more aware of arranging housework scientifically.
From a policy perspective, women and men also expressed expectations about policies on unpaid care work and social services suitable to the economic conditions of families such as child care services, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and services to reduce workload.
Ms. Le Thi Lan Phuong (UN Women) said that the survey research will make recommendations such as enhancing communication to better understand the concept of unpaid care work and the value of this work for public health, to perceive it as the invisible contribution of women (according to Action Aid and the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs in 2015, if women spend 5 hours on average a day on these jobs and are paid, the contribution is equivalent to 1,100 billion VND per year to the economy). Thereby, there are recommendations to develop public policies or public services to reduce unpaid care work such as developing day care centers for the elderly, people with disabilities, and child care services…
Ms. Phuong also cited, for example, that in Vietnam, within 30 days from the date his wife gives birth, male workers are allowed to take maternity leave from 5 to 14 days depending on each specific case. However, in Sweden, maternity leave can last up to several years and is divided between both parents. Pregnant women can stay at home 7 weeks before their due date. From the time a child is born until he or she is 1.5 years old, parents are allowed to stay home to take care of the child.
At the conference, participants also criticized the research, including many proposals related to clearly calculating and comparing the value between unpaid and paid care work items; the proposal requires more recommendations of specific action at the management level…
Ms. Tran Thi Kim Thanh, Head of the Department of Child Protection, Care and Gender Equality (Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Ho Chi Minh City), said that the burden of unpaid care work has hindered the status enhancement and participation of women in economic and social activities. Affirming and enhancing the role of this work will promote a more equal division of work, empower women and provide a solid basis for gender equality. The research results are also the basis for advising and proposing social policies in Ho Chi Minh City.
Tags
Submit failed