The Women’s Personal Views on Household Division of Tasks includes 9 items from Oxfam’s 2014 Household Care Survey (2014 HCS) Questionnaire. Using vignettes, or fictional scenarios, about couples’ daily activities, items in this measure ask respondents about normative expectations and beliefs about the division of household labor (e.g., cooking, childcare, and cleaning) between spouses. The HCS is a multi-country questionnaire developed by Oxfam’s Women’s Economic Empowerment and Care (WE-Care) program to collect data on time spent by adults and children on unpaid care work and gender inequality in care work.
Geographies Tested: Colombia,Ethiopia,Philippines,Uganda,Zimbabwe
Populations Included: Female
Age Range: Adults
Interviewer: I will now read to you some stories about imaginary couples in your community and ask you some questions about these couples.
Susan: My husband Brian works as a carpenter, he leaves the house early and comes back in the evening. After preparing breakfast for my family, I work in the field in the mornings. I return to prepare lunch for my children. I fetch water and firewood, make sure the house and compound are clean. When my husband comes back from work he is very tired. I bring him water to wash his hands and serve him food. I do the dishes and prepare the beds for all of us.
1. What do you think about the way Susan and Brian divide tasks?
2. What do you think most other members in your community would think about the way Susan and Brian divide tasks?
Response Options:
Strongly approve - 0
Approve - 1
Disapprove - 2
Strongly disapprove - 3
3. How do you and your partner compare to Susan and Brian?
Response Options:
Very different - 0
Different - 1
Similar - 2
Very similar - 3
Sarah: Ever since we got together, my husband John and me have shared responsibilities. We get up around the same time, prepare breakfast, clean the house and help the children. We work on our farm together. When we come home from the field, he carries the vegetables and I carry some firewood. We both go and fetch water whenever we need it. I take the lead on cooking but my husband helps me chopping vegetables and cleaning the kitchen and compound.
4. What do you think about the way Sarah and John divide tasks?
5. What do you think most other members in your community would think about the way Sarah and John divide tasks?
Response Options:
Strongly approve - 0
Approve - 1
Disapprove - 2
Strongly disapprove - 3
6. How do you and your partner compare to Sarah and John?
Response Options:
Very different - 0
Different - 1
Similar - 2
Very similar - 3
Katherine: I do a lot of work. I work on the farm and do all the housework, bathing the children, collecting water and fuel, cleaning, cooking, making sure the house is okay. My husband Michael does some agricultural work and some casual labor. He often meets up with friends to chat or relax. Usually he does not help me with my work. But sometimes he might get water or cook if I am sick or not at home.
7. What do you think about the way Katherine and Michael divide tasks?
8. What do you think most other members in your community think about the way Katherine and Michael divide tasks?
Response Options:
Strongly approve - 0
Approve - 1
Disapprove - 2
Strongly disapprove - 3
9. How do you and your partner compare to Katherine and Michael?
Response Options:
Very different - 0
Different - 1
Similar - 2
Very similar - 3
Not Applicable
Oxfam WE-Care. (2014). Household Care Survey Questionnaire. https://wee.oxfam.org/page/we-care-methodology
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