Srinagar, April 24 -- In today's world, women are earning degrees, climbing career ladders, and becoming breadwinners. Yet at home, an outdated script still plays out: one where women do most of the housework and caregiving, regardless of their job title or paycheck.

The numbers speak loud and clear. Across developed countries, women spend an average of 2.5 more hours each day on unpaid care work than men. In the U.S., women are 40% more likely to plan meals and do the grocery shopping. Even in Sweden, often praised for gender equality, women still do 65% of all housework. And during the COVID-19 crisis, women shouldered 75% of the extra childcare.

This gap doesn't shrink even when women earn more or have higher degrees. Education or in...