Overview 

This report is part of CARE in Vietnam’s AWEEV project (Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment in Vietnam), which aims to improve equitable economic participation among ethnic minority communities. The study explores how unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW) affects women’s ability to participate in paid work and access income-generating opportunities. It highlights systemic issues rooted in long-standing social norms that expect women to take on the majority of caregiving and household responsibilities. 

Conducted using data from the 2020 Labor Force Survey and supported by secondary sources including research by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and World Bank, the report provides insights into the time-use gap between men and women, especially in ethnic minority areas. Findings show that women spend nearly twice as much time on unpaid care work compared to men, and this gap is even wider in ethnic minority communities. These workloads contribute significantly to reduced access to quality employment and professional development for women. 

The report also includes evidence-based policy recommendations to address the inequality in unpaid care responsibilities, such as expanding care services, promoting shared caregiving, and integrating care-sensitive perspectives into national and local development plans. 

 

Key Findings: 

  • Women in Vietnam spend, on average, 20.1 hours per week on unpaid care and domestic work, compared to 10.7 hours for men. 
  • In ethnic minority areas, this time-use gap is significantly larger. 
  • This unpaid care burden restricts women’s participation in paid work and limits economic advancement opportunities. 
  • Social norms assign caregiving primarily to women, limiting their mobility and time. 
  • Lack of accessible care infrastructure (childcare, elder care, water, and sanitation) increases the time women must spend on domestic tasks. 
  • Reducing this imbalance is key to promoting inclusive and sustainable development. 

 

Policy Recommendations: 

  • Recognize unpaid care and domestic work in official statistics and development planning. 
  • Expand community-based care services (e.g. kindergartens, water access points). 
  • Promote shared caregiving responsibilities within families and communities. 
  • Train local authorities and communities on the economic impact of unpaid care work. 
  • Integrate care work considerations into poverty reduction and ethnic minority development programs. 

 

In Vietnam, although the overall employment gap has decreased over the past decade (2010 – 2020), disparities in access to quality jobs and career progression remain significant. People assigned more household and caregiving responsibilities, typically, women tend to work more in informal sectors or earn less in the same roles as others. This is not necessarily due to lower qualifications or fewer working hours, but in large part because of the heavy and unequal share of unpaid care and domestic work. 

According to the 2020 Labour Force Survey (LFS), individuals responsible for most caregiving spent on average 20.1 hours per week on unpaid care and domestic work, almost double compared to others (10.7 hours). This time-use gap is even more pronounced in ethnic minority communities, contributing to reduced access to economic opportunities. A World Bank study found that responsibilities at home hinder participation in off-farm income-generating activities, particularly among women from ethnic minority groups. These entrenched social roles limit both mobility and decision-making power in economic activities. 

This report highlights that unequal distribution of household responsibilities directly impacts income gaps and quality of life in ethnic minority areas. It calls for policy action that recognizes, reduces, and redistributes unpaid care responsibilities through services, infrastructure, and awareness campaigns that promote shared caregiving. 

Unpaid Care and Domestic Work in Ethnic Minority Areas: Current Status and Policy Recommendations