DETERMINANTS OF UNPAID LABOR AND HOUSEWORK AND CARE WORK USING TIME USE SURVEY DATA: EVIDENCE FROM RURAL HERDERS OF MONGOLIA

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify the factors influencing time use among
members of rural administrative centers and herding households in Mongolia. Specifically, it
seeks to clarify the impact of various factors on the time allocated to informal employment
(jobs without direct wages) and unpaid household work, such as domestic tasks. To achieve
this, the study analyzed current time-use patterns and their determinants among rural
administrative center residents and herding households, using data from time-use surveys
conducted in 2011, 2015, and 2019, applying simple regression methods. Another objective of
this research is to argue that unpaid labor and unvalued household work should be examined
separately. Although both fall within the informal sector, this study aims to reveal how their
economic implications differ between household roles, particularly in terms of gender. Unpaid
work includes non-market activities such as household chores, child care, and caring for the
elderly and sick family members. The results of the regression analysis show a significant
gender gap in informal employment and unpaid work in rural areas. Compared to women,
men are more likely to engage in unpaid work related to livestock herding and animal
product processing, whereas women devote more time to household chores and caregiving.
Furthermore, unpaid work is strongly associated with educational attainment: individuals
with little or no education are more likely to engage in unpaid work.