The dual burden of care and unpaid work : women's experiences in Kawempe Division, Uganda

Abstract

This study examined The Balancing Act: The Dual Burden of Care Work and Paid Labor among Women in Kawempe Division, Kampala, Uganda. The research aimed to (i) examine the different unpaid care work activities women combine with their paid employment, (ii) identify the push factors for women’s persistent dominance in unpaid care work, and (iii) explore the strategies and coping mechanisms women employ to navigate the challenges of balancing paid and unpaid work. A mixed-methods research design was employed to capture both quantitative and qualitative insights from formally and informally employed women in Kawempe, one of Kampala’s seven divisions and a hub of business activity. Purposive and snowball sampling were used to select participants. Data collection involved the Rapid Care Analysis (RCA) tool, in-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and structured questionnaires. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the intersection between paid labor and unpaid care work. Findings indicate that women engage in multiple unpaid care activities, including cooking, cleaning, laundry, childcare, and caring for the sick and elderly, alongside formal and informal paid work. Cultural norms, religious beliefs, male-dominated decision-making, low education levels, and internalized gender roles were identified as the key drivers of women’s persistent dominance in unpaid care work. To cope with this dual burden, women employed strategies such as using electrical machines, hiring domestic help, delegating care responsibilities to older children, adjusting work schedules, and shifting toward home-based businesses. While these strategies provided temporary relief, they did not fundamentally redistribute care responsibilities or address structural gender inequalities. The study concludes that unpaid care work remains a significant barrier to women’s economic empowerment and well-being. Recommendations include fairer redistribution of unpaid care responsibilities, gender-responsive workplace policies, affordable childcare solutions, and community and policy interventions to challenge cultural and structural barriers. Implementing these measures would enable women to dedicate more time to paid employment, increase earnings, and advance economic equality.