EmpowerHer Campaign Shines Light on Unpaid Care Work and the Push for Gender Equality in the Philippines

In a bold step toward achieving gender equality, Oxfam Pilipinas, the Institute for Social Entrepreneurship in Asia (ISEA), and the OCI Group have launched the "Asenso Squad", an online initiative that brings together micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to share real-life stories around breadwinning, unpaid care work, and gender roles. This online campaign forms a vital component of the broader project "EmpowerHer: Embedding Gender Equality in MSME Business Practices in the Philippines", which is supported by Investing in Women, an initiative of the Australian Government.

The EmpowerHer project tackles a fundamental issue often overlooked in economic development: the disproportionate burden of unpaid care and domestic work that falls on women. This invisible labor, which includes cooking, cleaning, caregiving, and other household responsibilities, severely limits women's participation in the workforce and their ability to engage in entrepreneurial ventures. By drawing attention to this imbalance, the campaign aims to spark conversations and initiate cultural shifts toward more equitable household roles.

"When household members share the responsibility of care work equally, it doesn’t just ease the burden on women—it builds stronger, more resilient households," says Lot Felizco, Executive Director of Oxfam Pilipinas. "It also gives everyone, regardless of gender, the chance to thrive both at home and in their careers."

Felizco emphasizes that when women are empowered to participate more fully in economic activities, the benefits extend beyond the individual. "Women’s economic participation has a ripple effect. It boosts household income, strengthens community economies, and supports inclusive national growth. But to unlock this potential, we must first redistribute unpaid care work more fairly."

The campaign kicked off with a compelling online forum titled "Family or Career, Why Not Both? Pag-usapan natin paano sumakses sa bahay at buhay." The forum opened up discussions about the social norms and systemic barriers that keep women from fully engaging in professional opportunities. In many Filipino households, women are expected to prioritize family over career, often performing the bulk of domestic tasks even when employed.

This gender imbalance has significant consequences for the country's overall gender equity metrics. The Philippines fell nine places to rank 25th in the 2024 Global Gender Gap Index, which evaluates gender parity across economic participation, educational attainment, health, and political empowerment. Notably, the country recorded a 1.4 percentage point drop in women's overall economic participation. There were also marked decreases in women's representation among legislators, senior officials, and managers, as well as in perceived wage equality.

According to a 2024 study by the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA), only 21.9 million women, or 0.8 percent, were active in the workforce compared to 30 million men. The study also revealed that marriage and childbearing often correlate with a sharp decline in women's labor participation, reflecting entrenched gender roles that assign domestic responsibilities to women and productive roles to men.

An earlier study conducted by Oxfam Pilipinas in 2021 further underscores the problem. It found that women in the Philippines spend an average of 6.5 hours per day on unpaid care work—three times more than their male counterparts. Alarmingly, girls also reported spending more time on care and total work than boys of the same age group. These expectations not only rob women and girls of economic opportunities but also expose them to higher risks of injury, illness, and emotional harm.

In addition to the physical toll, the 2021 study revealed harmful social attitudes: both male and female respondents found it acceptable to yell at or physically punish women for failing to meet domestic expectations, while also stigmatizing men who take on housework.

The EmpowerHer campaign and its Asenso Squad initiative thus seek to shift these damaging norms and foster a more equitable division of labor at home. By amplifying the voices of MSMEs and individuals navigating these challenges, the campaign advocates for systemic changes that allow women to pursue both family and career aspirations without being held back by outdated gender roles.

Ultimately, the success of gender equality in the workplace hinges on what happens at home. Recognizing and redistributing unpaid care work is not just a women's issue—it is a societal imperative that requires collective action from families, communities, businesses, and policymakers alike.