Women MPs call on teachers to lead mindset shift on gender norms, unpaid care work
Participants pose for a group photo during a report launch on shifting social norms on unpaid care and domestic work in Kampala on October 30, 2024. Photo/Shabibah Nakirigya
What you need to know:
- Findings of a new study on unpaid care work in Uganda indicates that domestic violence and poverty are reducing in homesteads where couples share household work.
Uganda Women Parliamentary Association (UWOPA) legislators are urging teachers to champion mindset change in schools to help reshape gender norms around unpaid care work within households and communities.
Speaking at the launch of the Economic Policy Research Centre's report, "Shifting Social Norms on Unpaid Care and Domestic Work," held in Kampala on October 30, Ms Margaret Ayebale, Woman MP for Mbarara District, said their is need to instill these changes from a young age.
Representing UWOPA Chairperson Sarah Opendi, Ms Ayebale stressed, “Mindset change on unpaid care work should start at the grassroots to involve everyone. Schools need to help young people recognize the importance of sharing care responsibilities, as they often overlook gender considerations.”
Ms Ayebale added that unpaid care work takes a significant toll on women, referencing UBOS findings showing that women spend an average of 6.6 hours daily on unpaid labor, leading to exhaustion.
"By involving men in this work, we can reduce domestic violence, as the burden on women can strain relationships and create tension," she added.
Dr Peace Musimenta, from Makerere University's School of Gender and Women Studies, echoed these sentiments, urging teacher retraining to promote gender sensitivity and equitable care-sharing.
“Creating a new generation that values shared unpaid care work requires us to address ingrained cultural norms by training teachers accordingly,” she said. “Teachers must understand and promote gender equality to shape more balanced perspectives in children.”
Ms Madina Mwagale, head of the microprogram at EPRC, noted that a shift in gender norms is essential to building more cohesive family dynamics and reducing poverty.
"For the last three years, we’ve been studying how to better shift mindsets on unpaid care work because these norms impact behavior and family relations," she said,
"We aim to engage both women and men to support transparency and shared planning within households,” she added.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the Uganda Women’s Network and Care International Uganda, found that households sharing unpaid care work report less domestic violence and poverty.
Research spanned three years and was conducted in the districts of Mpigi, Masindi, Mbarara, and Pallisa.
Findings indicate that when couples work together in household duties, they foster greater harmony and productivity, reducing family conflicts and enhancing economic stability.
