Time has a key role to play in the building of a truly egalitarian society. Social structure, on both a personal and collective level, and the labour structure largely determine the way we live. Because our use of time is conditioned by long-standing social patterns, these give rise to injustices based on gender, social status, origin and functional diversity. Equality of opportunity can only be achieved through an equitable distribution of time use.
One of the tools developed by the Barcelona Time Pact to raise awareness of the Pact and emphasize the need for a change in our organization of time is the Infographic on achieving a healthier, more egalitarian and efficient organization of time. The article describes the benefits of making time management more egalitarian.
Our current organization of time is structured around work schedules, with problems arising due to a lack of synchronization in the working hours of businesses, institutions, schools, etc., resulting in major imbalances in our different uses of time. Working while having to take care of children or dependent persons can be extremely difficult, leading to situations that heighten both gender and socioeconomic inequalities.
Managing time more equitably could create real equality of opportunity and reduce time poverty among vulnerable groups, as well as giving them enough time to participate in the community and form part of social organizations. Fairer time management could convert domestic chores and care for others into joint responsibilities, putting an end to the current overburdening, especially among women, and reducing the stress caused by these situations. It would also help break the glass ceiling faced by many women forced to turn down positions of greater responsibility to take care of their children.
One of the aims of time policies is to bring about change to achieve a more egalitarian society, and it is in this respect that the Barcelona Time Pact is striving to establish an alliance between the private and public sectors. Its goal is to raise awareness and act to ensure that time is a right for everyone and, therefore, a key factor in moving towards a more equitable society.