Decreasing Domestic Drudgery: Why It Matters and What We Know About What Works in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted gender disparities in time spent on unpaid work, but most responses have focused narrowly on unpaid care work, overlooking other unpaid domestic activities that impact women’s economic inclusion and related outcomes. To address this gap, we review evidence from 25 studies on interventions aimed at decreasing domestic drudgery—defined as unpaid, arduous domestic work—and examine their impact on women’s wellbeing in low- and middle-income countries. Our findings emphasize the need for increased research and broader policy attention to decrease domestic drudgery.