In Bosnia and Herzegovina, there is still significant gender inequality in household chores and childcare, which negatively impacts working women’s professional lives. This is one of the insights from a recent survey conducted by the Agency for Gender Equality of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the BiH Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees.
“The Survey on the Impact of Gender Inequality in Household Chores on Professional Lives of Working Women in BiH” included respondents from across BiH, who were interviewed face-to-face. A representative sample of 500 women was included in the survey. The respondents were women ranging in age from 18 to 65, who have lived with a partner (married or civil union) for at least a year, and who are employed (any type of paid work outside the home).
Results clearly show that women indeed work the “second” shift once they come home from work: in a staggering 93.8% of relationships, the majority of all household chores are done exclusively by women, and in most relationships (80.8%) women shoulder the majority or the entire burden of childcare.
This negatively impacts women’s professional and private lives, leaving them with five times less time for personal and professional growth, participation in social activities, or politics.
The detailed report is available for download here. The survey was published by the BiH Agency for Gender Equality of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH.
