Experts call for policies to tackle 'time poverty' at Time Use Week 2024

The Time Use Week 2024 kicked off in Barcelona on Monday, bringing together experts, organizations and policymakers to advocate for the "right to time."

The event calls for time policies to reduce time poverty, the chronic feeling of not having enough time to do everything one needs or wants to do.

This situation, which often leads to stress and burnout, is more than a busy schedule, it is the constant effort of balancing work, personal life and hobbies.

The initiative, endorsed by more than 200 organizations, calls for promoting a better balance of time use and ensuring a more equitable distribution of caregiving responsibilities.

"The right to time is essential for a happy life," said Marta Junqué, director of the Time Use Initiative, during her opening speech.

Junqué emphasized that it is common to hear people say, "I don't have time," yet having time is one of the key contributors to happiness.

"Time remains a source of discomfort for many, regardless of social class. It’s not about poor individual organization - it's a collective issue," she added.

Junqué highlighted that time scarcity disproportionately affects disadvantaged groups, particularly low-income individuals and women.

"We need legislation that regulates the use of time, laws that help us achieve a more balanced approach," Junqué added.

In the same vein, the Catalan Minister for Equality and Feminism, Eva Menor, defended a social pact to achieve "true equality" in productive and reproductive work.

"The social organization of time is a political issue that requires a collective agreement for the good of all, for a more balanced, just and sustainable society," she said.

The Time Use Initiative was launched in 2014, but it wasn't until 2021 that it gained global momentum, with the creation of the Barcelona Declaration on Time Policies.

This declaration has since been signed by nearly 200 organizations, including the United Nations, the World Bank, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), trade unions, employers' associations, and several European cities.

Among the proposed measures is a shift to a four-day work week to reduce working hours.

"Many people work until 7 pm and don't reach home until 9 pm. When a quarter of the population struggles with work-life balance, it becomes a social crisis," said Gemma Badia, Delegate for Social Policies and Equality at the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona. 

Another proposed measure is the abolition of daylight saving time in the European Union, which they believe would bring significant health and sustainability benefits to citizens.

Experts from the initiative argue that the time change has "detrimental" effects on health and that the common belief that it saves energy is not true.