Moaaz Manzoor

A total of 45.4 million women performed domestic and care work in Pakistan during 2024-25, according to the latest findings of the Labour Force Survey released by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics. The survey presents, for the first time in its updated format, comprehensive estimates of individuals undertaking unpaid household and care-related tasks across the country.

According to the document available with Wealth Pakistan, domestic and care work activities are recorded for both male and female household members, with women making up the larger share of individuals engaged in these tasks. The Labour Force Survey defines domestic and care work as unpaid activities carried out within the household for maintenance and caregiving.

These activities are not classified as employment under labour force definitions but are measured to capture the extent of non-market work undertaken by the population. The survey records that 53.1 million individuals in Pakistan performed unpaid domestic and care activities in 2024-25, including 45.4 million females and 7.7 million males.

The survey categorizes domestic and care work into several task groups. These include preparation of food, cleaning and general household upkeep, washing clothes and linens, caregiving for children, caregiving for older persons, and other household support activities. The data presented in the survey show how individuals are distributed across these categories and the number of hours spent on these activities.

Individuals may perform one or multiple types of domestic tasks depending on household needs and personal circumstances. The survey documentation also provides information on domestic and care work by age group. Adults represent the largest share of individuals performing household work, while participation is also recorded among younger and older age groups.

The survey notes that domestic and care work is widespread across both rural and urban areas, with rural households generally reporting higher participation in these activities due to household structures and the availability of family-based support systems. The Labour Force Survey’s updated questionnaire includes expanded sections on unpaid household labour as part of the transition to updated labour statistics recommended under the 19th and 21st International Conference of Labour Statisticians frameworks.

These updates ensure that measurements of unpaid domestic and care work are consistent with international standards and allow comparison with future survey rounds. The new questionnaire also includes questions on time spent on domestic tasks, secondary activities performed by household members and whether individuals undertaking domestic work are also engaged in employment or education.

Provincial data included in the survey’s graphical annex provides further detail on the distribution of household work across different regions. The figures show variation across provinces and between urban and rural localities. Rural areas tend to record a higher number of individuals performing domestic and care work, while urban areas also show substantial engagement.

Pakistan’s household structure, which includes extended family arrangements in many cases, contributes to the distribution of unpaid domestic and care activities in different regions. The survey also records whether individuals performing domestic and care work are simultaneously engaged in other productive activities. These may include paid employment, subsistence farming, contributing family work or institutional education.

The data indicate that a significant number of individuals performing domestic work are also enrolled in education or perform multiple activities within the household. The Labour Force Survey 2024-25 is based on a nationally representative sample of 53,974 households selected through a stratified two-stage sampling design. Field data was collected from 3,796 primary sampling units, including 1,476 urban and 2,320 rural blocks.

The survey was conducted over four quarters from July 2024 to June 2025 and uses the 2023 census-based population estimates adjusted with an annual growth rate of 2.075 percent. The survey findings show that domestic and care work is a significant part of household activity in Pakistan, with 45.4 million women and 7.7 million men performing these tasks during 2024-25. The detailed documentation included in the Labour Force Survey provides an updated and comprehensive measurement of unpaid household activities across the country.

Credit: INP-WealthPk