The application ‘MeToca’, launched in 2023 as a tool to share household chores, is no longer available. As confirmed by the Ministry of Equality, the app was deactivated due to low demand, despite the investment of 211,750 euros in its development.
“Fed up with you always having to do the housework?”
The project, presented by the then Minister of Equality Irene Montero, from Unidas Podemos, and Secretary of State Ángela Rodríguez Pam, was part of the Co-Responsibles Plan. The application offered graphs that visualized the distribution of tasks, the effort dedicated and the time invested by each family member. Its slogan sought to encourage equity in the home, but it failed to attract enough users to keep it active.
Low downloads and low acceptance
Between September 2023 and March 2024, ‘MeToca’ accumulated 11,201 downloads, with a higher proportion on Android devices (10,956) versus iOS (245), according to parliamentary data. This low reach contrasts with the public investment made and impact expectations.
A tool with a feminist perspective
At its launch, Montero stressed that the app sought to foster more egalitarian homes. “Feminism, when it enters our homes, makes our homes better spaces for everyone,” she said. For her part, Rodriguez Pam highlighted the gender gap in housework, pointing out that women spend 12.5 hours more per week on these activities, and that this figure increases with part-time contracts, mostly occupied by women.
The technology consulting firm behind the project
The development of ‘MeToca’ was awarded to the technology company Wairbut S.A. through the Public Sector Procurement Platform. However, its short history leaves in the air the effectiveness of this type of initiatives to change the dynamics of inequality in the home.
