Invisible Burden: Gender Inequality in Unpaid Household Labor in Indonesia

Abstract

This study explores gender inequality in unpaid household labor through a time use analysis of Indonesian women. Drawing on feminist economic theory, gender role perspectives, and intersectionality, it reveals that women bear a disproportionate burden of domestic responsibilities, regardless of employment or education status. Data from BPS and previous literature confirm the persistence of time poverty as a structural and cultural issue. The findings highlight that patriarchal norms, insufficient public care infrastructure, and policy gaps jointly reinforce this imbalance. These unpaid duties limit women’s participation in the labor market, education, and political life, ultimately hindering gender equity and national development. By synthesizing theoretical frameworks with empirical data, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of how unpaid labor perpetuates systemic inequality. It calls for gender-sensitive time use surveys, redistribution policies, and cultural transformation to achieve meaningful change. Time must be valued as a resource central to women’s empowerment and social justice.