Moldova time-use survey reveals deep systemic gender gaps
The National Bureau of Statistics (BNS) released its latest Time Use Survey data on Tuesday, June 16. The official report indicates that Moldovan women continue to shoulder the bulk of unpaid domestic labor.
According to the study, women dedicate an average of 4.6 hours daily to household chores and caregiving. In contrast, men allocate only 2.9 hours to the same tasks, while enjoying more daily leisure time.
Persistent imbalances in daily time allocation Mariana Soloviov, a division head at BNS, noted that citizens spend nearly half of their day on personal care and family duties. However, the division of unpaid labor remains starkly unequal between genders.
"Women spend about 4.6 hours a day on domestic chores, compared to 2.9 hours for men," Soloviov stated during the press conference. "Conversely, men enjoy 3.6 hours of leisure daily, while women have only 3 hours."
Promising shifts in male participation
Despite the gaps, the historical data highlights a positive shift in behavioral patterns over the last decade. Male participation in domestic chores rose significantly from 71.8% in 2012 to 80.2% in 2025.
Meanwhile, female participation rates saw a marginal decline, moving from 96% to 93.7%. BNS officials confirmed that while male involvement grew by 8.2 percentage points, overall female engagement remains exceptionally high.
The double burden on employed women
The study underscores that women face a double burden, maintaining higher domestic workloads even when fully active in the labor market. In the production and employment sectors, women average 8 hours per day compared to 7.8 hours for men.
By 2025, unpaid domestic care consumed 15.7% of the average Moldovan's total day, up from 13.5% in 2012. This specific burden accounts for 19.1% of a woman's daily time budget, compared to just 11.7% for men.
Data-driven foundations for public policy
The comprehensive study polled nearly 10,000 representative households nationwide over six consecutive months. Respondents aged 15 and older logged their exact activities across full 24-hour cycles.
Aurelia Spătaru, Deputy Director General of BNS, emphasized that the data is vital for assessing gender equality. The findings will directly serve as an empirical foundation for future public policy designs.
Economic and structural long-term impacts
Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Country Representative to Moldova, highlighted the economic penalties stemming from these imbalances. Unpaid domestic overwork heavily restricts professional choices for women.
"When women absorb most of the domestic workload, it directly limits their career growth, affects wages, and lowers future pensions," Stojanoska warned. "This increases their vulnerability to poverty."
State officials confirmed the final dataset will guide the development of the national care economy framework. The ultimate goal remains achieving an equitable distribution of family responsibilities.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
