The unpaid domestic and care work predominantly carried out by women and girls had been systematically undervalued in official statistics because of the way national labour force surveys were designed.
A breakthrough happened in 2013 with the inclusion of unpaid domestic and care work in national labour force surveys, alongside paid work. But implementation remained complex: measuring how people use their time required clearer guidance. In 2018, the International Labour Organization (ILO) launched a programme to develop practical tools and survey modules that integrate unpaid domestic and care work into existing labour force surveys, including model questionnaires, national adaptation guides, implementation toolkits as well as to provide training and technical support to interested countries.
Moldova was one of the first countries to implement the light time use LFS module. It offers cost-effective data collection, reduces respondent burden, and enhances analytical opportunities by linking with broader labour force data. With ILO assistance, Moldova's National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) adapted the model questionnaire to the country's context, designed the survey's methodology, pilot tested it and refined the module, and developed training materials and interviewer guides.
The survey was launched in July 2025 and will run until December 2025. It covers a representative sample of approximately 10,000 households. Data is collected through face-to-face interviews using tablet-based devices (Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing - CAPI).
The survey results-expected in June 2026-will provide essential data for measuring the proportion of time in a day that women and men spend on unpaid domestic and care work (Sustainable Development Goal 5 on gender equality, indicator 5.4.1). The findings will also support Moldova's national gender equality programme and the "European Moldova 2030" strategy.
Unpaid domestic and care work contributes significantly to Moldova's economy. Globally, if paid, it would account for about 9% of global GDP. Women and girls perform over 75% of such work, limiting their access to paid employment and public life.
When combined with employment data, it highlights gender disparities and helps quantify the economic value of unpaid work. Capturing the contributions of the care economy and collecting data on unpaid domestic and care work, therefore, can help governments design better, more fit-for-purpose policies.
