| The
Platform for Action adopted by the Fourth World Conference on
Women, held in 1995 in Beijing, underscores the need to develop a
more comprehensive knowledge of all forms of work and calls on national,
regional and international statistical services and relevant governmental
and United Nations agencies to "develop an international classification
of activities for time-use statistics that is sensitive to the differences
between women and men in remunerated and unremunerated work".
Further, the
Statistical Commission at its twenty-eighth session requested that
a draft classification of time-use statistics be prepared by the
Statistics Division (UNSD) as a basis for further research and special
studies.
In
response to these, the UNSD is developing a trial international
classification which can be used by both developing and developed
countries in their time-use surveys. The purpose of the trial classification
is to assist countries interested in embarking on time-use studies
by providing the structure of a classification which could be adapted
to national circumstances and to facilitate international comparisons.
In the first
phase in the development of the classification the Division convened
an expert group 13-16 October 1997 in
New York. The expert group recommended a new two-digit classification,
the UN Trial Classification of Activities for Time Use Statistics
(ICATUS).
In the next
phases of the work, the classification
will be revised at the 2-digit level and developed into a 3-digit
classification. These will be based on experiences in the
use of the ICATUS in national time use surveys. The classification
has been used by Palestine and Nigeria, adapted by South Africa
and Mongolia, and considered by India. The ICATUS is also being
circulated for discussion in international fora and through this
web site.
How you can
get involved in this work
Experts in statistical
services and academic/research institutions are invited to contribute
to this work in any of the following ways:
-
Comment
on possibilities for implementing the proposed classification
and on methods to be used as discussed by the expert group in
its recommendations.
-
Suggest
examples of activities in specific national or regional context
to be listed at the three digit level of the trial classification
to be developed.
-
Provide
information and updates on existing or planned studies, documentation
and international meetings/conferences/seminars where time-use
and valuation of household production are being considered.
-
Test the classification in a planned
survey or study.
- Suggest
other experts who may be contacted.
|
