Women Share 61 Truths That Hurt At First, But Changed Their Lives

“My mother is just a housewife.” That little word “just” can carry far more weight than people realise. When a woman does not have a paid job outside the home, many people assume she is not working or that her contribution is somehow less important. But keeping a household running involves far more than simply being at home. From putting personal dreams on hold and stepping away from career opportunities to managing the needs of an entire family, many women take on responsibilities that are demanding, time-consuming, and often invisible. The work may not come with a salary, annual leave, or a job title, but that does not make it any less valuable.

Cooking meals, cleaning up afterward, doing laundry, keeping the house organized, and managing everyday chores are only part of the work. Many women also care for children, support elderly relatives, look after sick family members, shop for household essentials, arrange appointments, plan meals, and keep track of everyone’s schedules.

Then there is the mental load—the constant effort of remembering what the family needs, noticing when supplies are running low, planning ahead, and making sure important tasks do not fall through the cracks. These responsibilities are often borne by women, whether or not they work outside the home, meaning many are effectively managing paid work and unpaid household labor simultaneously.

For generations, women have been expected to take primary responsibility for caring for the home and family. Although attitudes have changed and more men now participate in household responsibilities, the division of unpaid labour remains far from equal in many parts of the world. Global estimates suggest that women spend roughly two and a half to three times more time on unpaid care and domestic work than men. Depending on the country and whether they have children, women may spend several hours every day cooking, cleaning, caring for others, and managing household responsibilities. These tasks are essential to families and communities, yet they are often overlooked because they are not formally counted as paid employment.

Data from different countries continues to highlight the gap. The UN Women Data Hub reports that women worldwide spend significantly more time each day on unpaid care and domestic work than men. Research from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research has also found that women spend more time on unpaid housework and caregiving than their male counterparts. In Europe, mothers are far more likely than fathers to spend at least an hour each day doing housework, while Australian data has similarly shown that women perform more unpaid work on average than men. The exact figures vary from place to place, but the broader pattern remains clear: unpaid labor is still disproportionately carried by women.

The COVID-19 pandemic made this imbalance even more visible. When schools, workplaces, and public spaces closed, many families suddenly had to manage work, education, childcare, cooking, and household responsibilities under one roof. Although more men were spending time at home, the additional responsibilities were not always divided equally. Instead, many women found themselves taking on even more work while also trying to maintain their jobs or support their children’s education. For some, the home became a workplace, classroom, childcare centre, and household—all at the same time.

The impact was particularly noticeable among younger people. According to research reported by The Guardian, girls and young women aged 14 to 24 often took responsibility for a larger share of household chores during the pandemic, leaving them with less time to focus on education, rest, and personal interests. In one survey, 66% of girls and young women said they were spending more time cooking for their families, compared with 31% of boys and young men. Girls and young women were also more likely to report spending additional time cleaning, shopping, and caring for younger siblings. These differences show how expectations around household responsibilities can begin at a young age and continue well into adulthood.