Women's empowerment and unpaid care work in Mali

Abstract Background Unpaid care work represents a major challenge for development and gender equality in developing countries, where women bear the brunt of domestic and family tasks. In Mali, constraints related to water collection, household responsibilities, and caring for family members often limit women's economic and social opportunities. In this context, this study analyses the impact of women's empowerment on unpaid care work in Mali using data from the seventh Mali Demographic and Health Survey. Method This study is based on data from the 2023–2024 Mali Demographic and Health Survey. The study uses two indicators of unpaid care work: women's employment status and the domestic workload related to time spent collecting water. The analysis employs binary logistic regression models for employment status and multinomial logistic regression for domestic workload. Results The results show that women's empowerment significantly reduces the likelihood of bearing a heavy domestic workload and promotes their participation in economic activities. Women living in rural areas are more exposed to a heavy domestic workload than those residing in urban areas. The spouse's level of education helps reduce the risk of a heavy domestic workload, while a high standard of living considerably reduces the time spent collecting water. Conversely, the number of children increases women's domestic workload. Conclusion Women's empowerment is considered as a key lever for reducing unpaid care work and promoting their economic inclusion. The findings suggest that policies should strengthen women's access to education, economic resources, and decision-making. A better redistribution of domestic responsibilities between the sexes also appears necessary to reduce gender inequalities and foster inclusive development.