Theirworld, a global children’s charity committed to ending the global education crisis, surveyed 1,000 men and women aged between 14 to 30 living in Britain. The survey concluded that girls and young women are doing most household chores during the pandemic compared with boys and men who are in the same age range.

The survey found that “Two-thirds (66%) of girls and women aged between 14 and 24 say they are spending more time cooking for their families because of the pandemic, compared with just under a third (31%) of boys in the same age group. Women and girls are also spending more time undertaking stereotypically “female” chores, such as cleaning (69 percent, compared with 58 percent of boys and men), shopping (52 percent, compared with 49 percent), and looking after siblings or sick relatives (28 percent, compared with 16 percent).”

While the survey took place in the UK, Theirworld is urging governments worldwide to prioritize girls’ education. The chair of Theirworld, Sarah Brown, stated, “There are reports that women’s equality could be pushed back by up to 10 years by the pandemic, and this is a stark reminder that the fight for gender equality is ongoing. The findings from this study show that when girls are locked out of school, they can easily become trapped in traditional household roles that can jeopardize their education.”

Another survey done by the Office for National Statistics found that women were homeschooling more, with “67% of women taking the lead compared with 52% of men. Half of the survey’s 16- to 18-year-old respondents also said that homeschooling was having a damaging effect on their mental health.”

Personally, most of the household chores are my responsibility. I also have a little sister who often interrupts my learning by asking questions about her schoolwork. It is my responsibility to help her with her homework too. There have been multiple times where I have had to stop paying attention to my classes to help her with her studies, which, as expected, has sometimes led me to fall behind a bit. I also happen to have a male cousin, yet his only chore is to throw out the trash, which is not a chore considered “female.” While I do not speak for all women, my experience is similar to the survey results, and I know many other girls and women who can relate to the survey’s results.