KUCHING: Malaysian women spend nearly two hours more each day on unpaid domestic and care work than men, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).
Women spend about six hours and seven minutes daily on unpaid work, compared with four hours and 20 minutes for men, based on DOSM’s Special Release: Time Spent on Unpaid Domestic and Care Work in Malaysia 2025.
Overall, Malaysians devote an average of five hours and 12 minutes a day to unpaid domestic and care work.
Chief Statistician Malaysia Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the findings demonstrate the significant contribution of unpaid work to household well-being despite its exclusion from formal economic measures.
He said the data would support policymaking on work-life balance, gender equality and social development.
Malaysia also recorded higher participation in unpaid domestic and care work than the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD average, with both women and men spending more time on such activities than their counterparts internationally.
The report found little variation between urban and rural residents, while those aged 45 to 54 recorded the highest share of unpaid work.
Malaysians spent more time on unpaid work than non-citizens, and domestic work remained the largest component across all demographic groups.
DOSM said the findings reinforced the need for stronger support for the care economy and more equitable sharing of household responsibilities to improve wellbeing and productivity.
