Inter-American Development Bank
facebook
twitter
youtube
linkedin
instagram
Abierto al públicoBeyond BordersCaribbean Development TrendsCiudades SosteniblesEnergía para el FuturoEnfoque EducaciónFactor TrabajoGente SaludableGestión fiscalGobernarteIdeas MatterIdeas que CuentanIdeaçãoImpactoIndustrias CreativasLa Maleta AbiertaMoviliblogMás Allá de las FronterasNegocios SosteniblesPrimeros PasosPuntos sobre la iSeguridad CiudadanaSostenibilidadVolvamos a la fuente¿Y si hablamos de igualdad?Home
Citizen Security and Justice Creative Industries Development Effectiveness Early Childhood Development Education Energy Envirnment. Climate Change and Safeguards Fiscal policy and management Gender and Diversity Health Labor and pensions Open Knowledge Public management Science, Technology and Innovation  Trade and Regional Integration Urban Development and Housing Water and Sanitation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

¿Y si hablamos de igualdad?

  • HOME
  • CATEGORIES
    • Diversity
    • Gender
  • Authors
  • English
    • Español
Madre revisa su computadora mientras alza a su bebé

Time-Use Data: An Important Tool for Equality in Latin America and the Caribbean

April 3, 2025 Por Ercio Muñoz Leave a Comment


Time-use data are an essential tool to understand how people allocate their time across different activities. Examples include paid work, unpaid domestic work, leisure, and self-care. This information provides valuable insights into productivity, how our societies are structured, and the overall well-being of the population. Additionally, such data are indispensable for public policy formulation and economic inclusion.

The Importance of Time-Use Data

Well-being extends beyond income or consumption and is closely linked to how individuals distribute their time. Time-use surveys have revealed significant disparities in the allocation of time between paid and unpaid work, highlighting how established roles can limit women’s economic opportunities. By making unpaid domestic work visible, this data contributes to designing solutions that promote labor market participation and equitable distribution of responsibilities within households and families. The importance of collecting this data has been globally recognized.

Availability of Time-Use Data in Latin America and the Caribbean

Over the last two decades, according to a report by ECLAC, 23 countries in the region have conducted at least one data collection on time use, and 10 have estimated the economic value of unpaid domestic work. Some have gone further, integrating this information into their national accounts to reflect the economic contribution of unpaid work. However, challenges persist, including the irregularity of such surveys and methodological diversity, which complicates comparative analysis between countries.

Without consistent and regularly available time-use data, it will be challenging to monitor progress or evaluate the effectiveness of policies aimed at reducing these disparities. Institutionalizing time-use surveys as a regular component of national statistical programs would improve the ability to effectively monitor and work towards equality among individuals.

Time-Use Data and Equality

Time-use surveys consistently show that a disproportionate share of unpaid domestic and caregiving work falls on women. This is reflected in the region’s data, showing that, on average, women perform more than 77% of household tasks and over 71% of caregiving duties. This unequal division restricts their opportunities for paid employment and career advancement. Additionally, time poverty often limits the ability to acquire further education, work, or increase civic and political participation. Fortunately, many countries are incorporating time-use data into their development policies, facilitating the implementation of public policies to address this issue.

Distribution of Unpaid Household Work, Care, and Paid Work, Men versus Women

Distribution of Unpaid Household Work, Care, and Paid Work, Men versus Women

Improving Availability and Use of This Data

Time-use data are a fundamental resource for understanding and addressing inequalities in the region. By collecting and utilizing this data, policymakers can design initiatives that recognize the value of unpaid work, support equality, and create greater economic opportunities.

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has been an ally in regional efforts to improve the availability of this information. For example, it has provided technical assistance to Brazil’s government in designing pilots for data collection. Similarly, it has supported data gathering through population censuses, such as in Suriname, among others. However, there is still ample room to enhance the availability and use of such statistics through better institutionalization, greater harmonization of methods, integration into public policy planning, and increased public awareness of these statistics.


Filed Under: Gender Tagged With: cuidados, integrated care systems, Unpaid labor

Ercio Muñoz

Ercio Muñoz is an economics specialist in the Gender and Diversity Division of the Inter-American Development Bank. He previously worked at the Central Bank of Chile and the World Bank. He has a PhD in Economics from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York.

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Subscribe

Search

Related posts

  • Redefining work and family life: the impact of teleworking on the gender gap
  • On the road to gender equality, fathers matter
  • Care and Support: Persisting Challenges in the Region
  • Where to find social data and indicators on Latin America and the Caribbean?
  • When women go to work, where do men go?

Tags

Afrodescendants afrodescendientes Coronavirus COVID-19 COVID-19 cuidados Data discriminación diversity Education Employment Entrepreneurship female leadership Gender gender-based violence Gender Equality gender equity Gender gaps igualdad de género Inclusion inclusión Indigeneous economic development Indigenious development Indigenous economic development Indigenous identity Indigenous People Indigenous peoples Inequality Intimate Partner Violence Labor Markets lgbtq+ liderazgo femenino Masculinities oportunidades económicas people with disabilities personas con discapacidad pueblos indígenas Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación Unpaid labor Vaccines Violence against women violencia contra la mujer Violencia de género violencia sexual y basada en género Women in STEM

Footer

Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo
facebook
twitter
youtube
youtube
youtube

Google Analytics

    Blog posts written by Bank employees:

    Copyright © Inter-American Development Bank ("IDB"). This work is licensed under a Creative Commons IGO 3.0 Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives. (CC-IGO 3.0 BY-NC-ND) license and may be reproduced with attribution to the IDB and for any non-commercial purpose. No derivative work is allowed. Any dispute related to the use of the works of the IDB that cannot be settled amicably shall be submitted to arbitration pursuant to the UNCITRAL rules. The use of the IDB's name for any purpose other than for attribution, and the use of IDB's logo shall be subject to a separate written license agreement between the IDB and the user and is not authorized as part of this CC- IGO license. Note that link provided above includes additional terms and conditions of the license.


    For blogs written by external parties:

    For questions concerning copyright for authors that are not IADB employees please complete the contact form for this blog.

    The opinions expressed in this blog are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the IDB, its Board of Directors, or the countries they represent.

    Attribution: in addition to giving attribution to the respective author and copyright owner, as appropriate, we would appreciate if you could include a link that remits back the IDB Blogs website.



    Privacy Policy

    Derechos de autor © 2025 · Magazine Pro en Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

    Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo

    Aviso Legal

    Las opiniones expresadas en estos blogs son las de los autores y no necesariamente reflejan las opiniones del Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, sus directivas, la Asamblea de Gobernadores o sus países miembros.

    facebook
    twitter
    youtube
    This site uses cookies to optimize functionality and give you the best possible experience. If you continue to navigate this website beyond this page, cookies will be placed on your browser.
    To learn more about cookies, click here
    x
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT