Chores For Girls May Result To Low Self-Esteem, Boys Must Have Equal Share

Gender equality plays an important role in our society today. Girls are better than boys or boys are better than girls are common arguments. A new research, conducted by the United Nations Children's Fund, suggested that in an early stage boys must have an equal share of the chores with girls.

Boys and girls are commonly equal in their first few years of life. For instance, they mentally develop at about the same time, being disciplined more or less similar and starts going to school most likely of the same age. But a new study from UNICEF suggests that the only difference between girls and boys is when these children carry on the norm of gender roles, especially when the girls starts to pick up the broom, fetch water and care for their ailing grandparent.

In the study, UNICEF found that girls between 5 and 14 years old spend more time on unpaid household chores. The time spent by girls with chores is approximately 40 percent or 160 million hours per day more than boys of the same age. Not only girls do the usual household chores, but also experts saw that collecting firewood and water is part of their ordinary day.

The research shows negative effects for girls. The time spent with chores is the time wasted by girls in making friends, playing and school work. It also affects the outlook and potential in life while they are young, according to the Washington Post.  

Exposure of girls in these kind of chores in an early stage influence them to think that they are only good with domestic duties. Cooking, cleaning, and fetching water are not highly valued to earn money. The study shared that "lasting effects on girls' self-esteem and sense of self-worth can be seen."

UNICEF's Principal Gender Advisor Anju Malhotra said that "The overburden of unpaid household work begins in early childhood and intensifies as girls reach adolescence. As a result, girls sacrifice important opportunities to learn, grow, and just enjoy their childhood." The unequal distribution of labor among children creates gender stereotypes and the double burden on women and girls across generations.