This study investigates the relationship between time use for housework and consumption poverty during Ghana's structural transformation. Using three waves of the Ghana Socioeconomic Panel Surveys, encompassing a decade, the research explores how unpaid work time changes as the economy evolves. The study reveals that, on average, individuals spend about 20% of their day on housework, with gender and locality disparities. Females and rural dwellers devote more time to housework. Factors such as employment, age, and household location drive time allocation for housework. Surprisingly, the study uncovers a negative correlation between time poverty and consumption poverty, suggesting that households investing more time in housework are not necessarily consumption-poor. The research underscores the need for policies promoting compensation for household work, cleaner energy adoption, and productivity-enhancing opportunities for time-poor yet poor households.
STEG Project Policy Brief
• Research Theme 2: Labour, Home Production, and Structural Transformation at the Level of the Household,
Cross-Cutting Issue 1: Gender
Time Use and Household Welfare in a Structurally Changing Society: The Case of Ghana
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