Women bear bulk of unpaid care duties, blocking workforce entry

A deputy minister has highlighted the persistent gender imbalance in unpaid domestic and care responsibilities, citing data showing women dedicate roughly six hours per day to these tasks. The burden encompasses childcare, elder care, and household management duties that fall predominantly on women across Malaysian households.

This unequal distribution of care work has direct consequences for workforce participation, the official noted during parliamentary proceedings. Many women remain unable to pursue full-time employment or career advancement due to the time-intensive nature of these obligations, which society continues to assign primarily to females.

The issue reflects broader systemic challenges in balancing family responsibilities with economic opportunities. Without formal support structures or more equitable sharing of care duties within households, women face constrained options in the job market, limiting both individual earning potential and national economic productivity.

The statement underscores ongoing calls for policy interventions including affordable childcare facilities, flexible work arrangements, and cultural shifts toward shared household responsibilities. Addressing this disparity is viewed as essential to increasing female workforce participation and achieving greater gender equality in Malaysia's economy.