Study finds women in Armenia work more hours than men because of unpaid household work
Women in Armenia work more than men, study finds
Women in Armenia work roughly four to five times more than men on unpaid household and care responsibilities, according to a study conducted by Ameria for the Armenian office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). The study found that women spend an average of 15.3 hours a week on household chores, including cooking, cleaning and laundry. They also devote another 8.6 hours to childcare, caring for elderly family members and other family responsibilities.
According to economist Tigran Jrbashyan, head of management consulting at Ameria, women aged 30 to 35 carry the heaviest workload. They spend between 44 and 49 hours a week on these responsibilities.
“This is unpaid labour. No one pays for it. Yet by doing this work, women create value. That is extremely important and deserves recognition,” Jrbashyan said.
By comparison, men spend an average of less than four hours (3.6) a week on household chores. They devote just over two hours (2.2) to caring for family members. Men aged 30 to 40 record the highest figures, spending between eight and 11 hours a week.
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Women receive no pay for 78% of the work they do
The researchers found that women in Armenia spend more time on various activities than men. Much of that time goes to household responsibilities, placing a heavier physical burden on them. Yet no one pays them for caring for their families.
According to Tigran Jrbashyan, women receive no pay for 78% of the work they do, as household responsibilities account for that share of their overall workload.
“In effect, women receive pay for only 22% of the work they do. For men, unpaid work accounts for around 11%, while paid work makes up the remaining 89%.”
‘It is important to make workplaces more family-friendly’
Lusine Sargsyan, head of the Yerevan office of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), says that spending 44 to 49 hours a week on unpaid household work often forces women to make a choice: whether to enter the workforce, whether to prioritise their careers or focus on starting a family and having children.
“We need to create conditions where women no longer have to choose one or the other. They should be able to have both. It is important that women can pursue formal employment while also having time for their families. Otherwise, the country will face demographic challenges,” she said.
When Sargsyan talks about creating better conditions for working women, she refers in particular to expanding access to nurseries and kindergartens, as well as developing childcare centres for young children.
Remote work is already available in Armenia, and working mothers can take advantage of it with their employer’s consent. The government has also recently introduced a “parental hour” policy. Under the new rules, working parents with children under the age of 12 can either arrive at work later or leave earlier.
Parents with one or two children can reduce their working day by 30 minutes. Those with three or more children can shorten it by one hour.
However, experts say these measures do not go far enough to create a truly family-friendly working environment.
Lusine Sargsyan stresses that spending 44 to 49 hours a week on household responsibilities means some women effectively work two full-time jobs. In addition to unpaid domestic work, they spend another 40 hours a week working for an employer.
She argues that this is problematic both economically and from a human rights perspective because women are left with little or no time for themselves. She also says excessive workloads reduce productivity at work and affect the quality of care they can provide for their children at home.
Sargsyan emphasises that workplaces need to become more family-friendly. That would allow women to fulfil their potential while also spending meaningful time with their families.
“Employers need to recognise that their employees have families. It is extremely important that women do not live with a constant sense of guilt. They should not feel guilty about spending too little time with their families. Nor should they worry at home about work they did not finish,” she explained.
Both Sargsyan and Jrbashyan stressed that many women are highly productive and, in many cases, better educated than men.
They argue that the country needs to create better conditions for women to work. Otherwise, the economy risks missing out on the higher value they could generate.
At the same time, both experts stressed that they are not arguing every woman should have formal employment or receive pay for household work. Instead, they say women should have the freedom to decide how they want to organise their lives. They believe giving women that choice would benefit the country’s economy, improve business performance and create a healthier family environment.
Women in Armenia work more than men, study finds
