1. United Nations Economic Commission for Europe Statistical Division Time Use Surveys: UNECE Work Session on Gender Statistics Geneva, 12-14 March 2012 Harmonised and Timely Data to Inform Policymaking

2. Slide 2 Conclusions of the In-depth Review by the Conference of European Statisticians, 2010  Need to improve comparability, timeliness and efficiency  Usefulness of practical guidelines to improve harmonisation  Policy relevance to be better explained  Establish a task force

3. Slide 3 Objectives of the Task Force  Guide harmonisation  Collect good practice  Demonstrate policy relevance

4. Slide 4 Focus of the Guidelines  Minimum set of comparable statistical measures  Timeliness. Light surveys  Time use classifications: Minimum list of activities comparable across any national classification

5. Slide 5 Policy Relevance  Key reason for conducting TUS  Increased in the light of recent initiatives  TUS inform on a broad range of issues  For certain issues, TUS indispensable

6. Slide 6 Unpaid Work and Non-market Production  GDP does not capture non-market sectors  potentially misleading policy conclusions  Estimation of opportunity cost  Household Satellite Accounts

7. Slide 7 Well-being  The Stiglitz commission report  Measurement of social and leisure time  Work-life balance

8. Slide 8 Social and Leisure Time  What is the influence of government policy?  Unpaid activities to maintain quality of life Childcare Repairs around the home Buying supplies and goods  Correlation of activities with well-being

9. Slide 9 Work-life Balance  Work hours from labour force surveys  Time use surveys: When during the day (atypical hours)? Duration of spells Synchronisation among partners Daily and weekly work rhythms Details of time use at workplace Work at home

10. Slide 10 Gender Equality  Unequal distribution of paid and unpaid work  Unsociable working hours  Monitor specific targets: Fathers’ time with children Sharing of housework Women’s time in paid work Life course variation of time use pattern

11. Slide 11 Health  Unpaid health care  Health behaviours: exercise, eating, sleeping  Health effects of work and leisure patterns  New mothers’ time use patterns

12. Slide 12 Other Use of Time Use Data  Transport: commuting patterns  Cultural policy, timing of programmes  Sport-related policy  Policies targeting specific population groups: Rural areas Elderly Children Youth

13. Slide 13 Key Issues Measured by TUS  Unpaid work and non-market production  Well-being  Gender equality

14. Slide 14 Conclusion  Time use surveys can inform a broad range of policies  Indispensable for the three key areas where other sources insufficient  core rationale for conducting TUS regularly Unpaid work and non-market production Well-being Gender equality