Description

Tasks performed inside a household in order to ensure that the basic needs of its members are met, such as cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children or older adults and other dependent family members. 

See also: domestic division of labour

Additional notes and information

Traditionally, a person is not paid for performing these tasks, and power or status is not necessarily accorded because of these responsibilities. In many societies, the person responsible for the household is in a subordinate position within it, and, most often, women and girls are responsible for all household tasks, even if they work outside the home.

Sources

IPS-Inter Press Service (2010). Gender and Development Glossary: A Tool for Journalists and Writers.