A new study has revealed a significant imbalance in unpaid care work between men and women in northern Ghana, showing that women shoulder the vast majority of responsibilities such as childcare, cooking, cleaning, and household support tasks.
The findings, presented by the Network for Women’s Rights in Ghana (NETRIGHT) under the United for Care-Sensitive Approaches to Rights and Empowerment (UCARE) project in Accra, indicate that women in the Northern, North East, and Savannah regions spend far more time on unpaid care duties than men.
Using data from the Ghana Living Standards Survey (GLSS 6) and the Ghana Time Use Survey, the study found that women nationally spend an average of 147 minutes per day on unpaid care work, compared to 49 minutes for men. However, the disparity is far wider in the northern belt, where women spend about 212 minutes daily against 50 minutes recorded for men.
Among adults aged 19 to 49, the gap is even more pronounced, with women in the Savannah Region reportedly spending over five times more time on unpaid care work than men, compared to a national average of three times.
The report highlighted specific daily activities that reflect this imbalance. Women spend significantly more time cooking, fetching water and firewood, washing clothes, and caring for children, while men contribute comparatively fewer minutes to these tasks. For instance, women spend about 44.5 minutes daily cooking compared to just 4 minutes for men, and 31.8 minutes on childcare compared to 6.5 minutes for men.
Researchers say the disparity is driven by a combination of structural and cultural factors, including limited access to basic infrastructure such as piped water, electricity, and early childhood care centres, especially in rural communities. Deep-rooted social norms also reinforce the belief that unpaid care work is primarily a woman’s responsibility.
According to Ms Lydia Dogee, Gender Equality and Social Inclusion Specialist with UCARE, entrenched patriarchal systems play a key role in sustaining the imbalance, with marriage often intensifying women’s domestic workload while reducing men’s involvement.
The study further notes that this “time poverty” among women has wider consequences, including reduced participation in economic activities, limited involvement in community decision-making, and negative effects on girls’ education outcomes.
Statistical Analyst Koffi Kpelitse added that household dynamics, particularly marriage and childcare responsibilities, continue to widen the gender gap in unpaid work. He called for urgent investment in social infrastructure such as childcare services, water systems, and energy access, alongside efforts to encourage men to take a more active role in caregiving.
Despite the challenges, the UCARE project—funded by the Government of Canada with CAD 9.8 million and running through 2029—has recorded early signs of progress. Some communities are beginning to shift perceptions, treating unpaid care as a shared family responsibility rather than a women-only obligation.
The study also observed growing awareness at the district level, where unpaid care considerations are increasingly being incorporated into local development planning.
