Gender division of labour refers to how work is divided between men and women based on their gender roles. This does not necessarily refer to paid employment, but rather to the work, tasks, and responsibilities that are assigned to women and men in their daily lives, and which may, in turn, determine certain patterns in the labour market. It is frequently argued that the gender division of labour is a result of biological traits; however, observing that in some societies women perform tasks and jobs that are traditionally considered to be men's jobs in other societies, and vice versa, we see that the division of labour has much to do with what each society perceives as appropriate for both sexes.

In most countries, house chores – like cleaning, cooking, and washing clothes – and everything that relates to sustaining the household – like fetching water of fuel, small scale agriculture for self-sustainment – are typically women’s or girls’ tasks, even when they have a paid job outside the home. On the other hand, more technical house tasks, like dealing with electrical or mechanical equipment, is traditionally a man’s job.

The labour market (as well as education and training) is heavily segregated along gender lines, with differences between regions and cultures. Also, some generalizations about gender divisions in the labour force are quite truthful, as men dominate certain sectors and occupations and women in others. For example, there is a concentration of women in services and of men in manufacturing. By sub-sector there is also a gender division: in manufacturing, for instance, there are more women concentrated in the electronics and garments industries, and men in the car industry.