Context: 

The invisibility of women’s contributions to the economy through unpaid care work, parenting, and domestic responsibilities has been a growing topic of research and discussion. 

More On News:

• The United Nations System of National Accounts includes household production in GDP calculations but excludes unpaid care work.
• Data Depicting significant burden of unpaid labour borne by women:  

•  According to the Time Use Survey of 2019 data, women in the working age group spend approximately seven hours daily on unpaid household work alone.
• Employed women closely follow, dedicating 5.8 hours to similar tasks. 
• In contrast, unemployed men spend less than four hours, while employed men contribute only 2.7 hours daily. 

• The Contribution of care work to India’s GDP has been estimated to be around 15-17%.

About Care Economy:

• Definition: The care economy refers to the sector of the economy that focuses on caregiving services and activities such as elderly and childcare, cooking etc.

• • • The care economy plays a crucial role in supporting families, communities, and the overall economy by enabling individuals to participate in the workforce.

• Includes: It includes both paid and unpaid care work. 

• • Paid Care Work: Paid care work involves formal employment where caregivers are compensated for their services. 

• Example: Nurses and healthcare professionals, Childcare Workers, Domestic workers etc.

• Unpaid Care Work: Unpaid care work refers to caregiving activities that are not compensated financially. 

• Example: Child-rearing and parenting, Taking care of elderly family members, Household chores (cleaning, cooking, laundry), Community caregiving and volunteering etc.
• According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), women perform more than three times the amount of unpaid care work than men globally.
• Unpaid care work is one of the main barriers preventing women from joining the formal workforce.

• Unpaid Work Estimate In India: 

• Unpaid work in India contributes approximately ₹22.7 lakh crore or about 7.5% of the country’s GDP, according to a 2023 State Bank of India report.
• Women spend about 36 hours per week on unpaid tasks compared to 16 hours for men.
• Addressing gender disparities in unpaid work could boost India’s GDP by 27%.

Issues Arising Due to Unpaid Care Work Of Women: 

• Economic Issues

• • Underemployment and Labor Market Participation: Many women are unable to pursue paid employment due to caregiving responsibilities, leading to lower participation rates and underutilisation of Labour.
  • Market Failure: The underpayment and undervaluation of care work contributes to its invisibility in economic measures, resulting in market failure. 
  • Valuation of Unpaid Work: The economic contributions of unpaid care work are often unrecognised in GDP calculations, leading to a distorted understanding of women’s economic impact.
  • Income Inequality: Women engaging in unpaid care work face financial dependency and face higher rates of economic insecurity.
  • Time Poverty: Women often experience “time poverty,” restricting their ability to engage in paid work or leisure, affecting productivity and economic output.

• Health and Well-being Issues: 

• Mental Health Challenges: The stress and demands of unpaid care work can contribute to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
• Physical Health Risks: Caregiving can lead to chronic health problems and physical strain, as women may neglect their own health needs.
• Double Burden Of Work: The double burden of work can be defined as the unpaid work done at home along with any form of paid work. 

• The challenge of balancing unpaid care work with paid employment can lead to burnout and lower quality of life.

• Social and Cultural Issues:

• Reinforcement of Gender Roles: Traditional norms often dictate that caregiving is a woman’s responsibility, perpetuating stereotypes and limiting women’s opportunities.
• Societal Expectations: Cultural pressures can lead women to prioritise family obligations over personal ambitions, impacting their career choices and aspirations.

• Lack of Support Systems and Infrastructure: 

• • Lack of Childcare and Eldercare Services: The absence of affordable and accessible care services places an additional burden on women, forcing them to take on more unpaid work.
  • Limited Government Support: Many countries lack policies that provide adequate support to caregivers, such as parental leave, flexible work arrangements, and social security benefits.
  • Community Support Networks: Weak community support systems and increasing nuclear family set up can further isolate caregivers and limit access to shared resources or assistance.

• Impact of Global Crises: Events like pandemics or economic downturns disproportionately affect women, often increasing their caregiving burdens while decreasing their economic opportunities.

• Policy Barriers: Unpaid care work is inadequately recognised in policy discussions.

Significance of Quantifying Unpaid Care Work:

• Valuation in GDP: By quantifying Unpaid Care Work, governments can incorporate its economic value into national accounts, providing a more comprehensive understanding of overall economic activity and contributions.

• Economic Recognition to Women’s Contribution: It allows for better-informed economic policies that reflect the true contributions of women and caregivers to the economy.

• Targeting Support Services: Quantification can identify gaps in care services, leading to improved access to childcare, eldercare, and other support systems essential for caregivers.

• • Understanding Labor Under-Utilisation: Quantifying Unpaid Care Work allows for a clearer picture of how many potential workers are excluded from the labour force due to unpaid responsibilities.

• Contributing to  Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5 (Gender Equality): Target 5.4 seeks to recognise and value unpaid care and domestic work through supportive policies and shared household responsibilities, particularly in low and middle-income countries by 2030.

• Challenging Stereotypes: Acknowledging the value of Unpaid Care Work can challenge traditional gender stereotypes and promote cultural shifts toward more equitable distribution of domestic responsibilities.

Challenges Associated with Quantifying Unpaid Care Work:

• Complexity of Data Collection: Collecting accurate data on unpaid domestic labour is complicated and resource-intensive, which may not provide clear or useful insights.

• • • Example: Conducting time use surveys requires detailed tracking of activities, which can be difficult for many households, particularly in low-resource settings.

• Inherent Value of Care Work: Care work should be appreciated for its inherent value, not just measured in economic terms. 

• Quantifying it may lead to commodification of relational aspects of caregiving.
• Example: Caregiving involves nurturing, emotional support, and social bonding, which cannot be adequately expressed in economic terms.

• Neglecting the Quality of Care: Emphasising the quantity of unpaid work may overlook the quality of care.

• • • Example:  A caregiver may spend a significant number of hours providing care, but the quality of that care (emotional support, engagement, etc.) is not reflected in quantitative measures.

• Cultural Variability: The value and nature of unpaid care work vary significantly across cultures, making it difficult to create standardised measures that reflect local practices and values.

• Affordability for the Government: The Economic Survey of 2019 has recognised the significance of unpaid work in the Indian Economy.
  • However, challenges may arise in its implementation, particularly regarding government affordability and the accurate calculation of associated values.

Measures that can be taken For Recognition of Care Work: 

• Social care infrastructure: Investment and provisioning of affordable and accessible public care services like childcare and social care will create job opportunities for women who are already experienced in caregiving roles. 

• As per the suggestion of the ILO, increasing investments in the care services sector has the potential to generate 475 million jobs globally by 2030

• This will further formalise traditionally unpaid work.

• Enhancing Women’s Labour Market Access: Implementing minimum wage laws for care workers and including them in formal labour frameworks can recognize care work as skilled labour. 

• Additionally, providing pensions, health insurance, and maternity benefits to informal caregivers such as domestic workers, childcare providers can improve their economic stability and ensure fair working conditions.

• Recognising and representing unpaid work in macroeconomic policies: India conducted a Time Use Survey in 2019, which was an important step towards understanding the burden of unpaid care work. 

• Data from such surveys can quantify the value of unpaid care work, shifting its perception from a domestic duty to a productive economic activity.

• Challenging social and cultural norms: There is a need to destigmatise unpaid work, which will help in altering gender stereotypes and care work.
  • Example: Public campaigns, educational programmes, and media can play a role in promoting men’s active participation in caregiving. 

• Government policies can incentivize paternity and parental leave, encouraging men to take time off for childcare and normalising male participation in caregiving.

• Care as a core pillar: Identifying and prioritising care work as a fundamental component of socio-economic development in countries.

• Example: For India, strengthening the care economy is essential for achieving the goal of development led by women in Viksit Bharat by 2047

Conclusion: There is a need for policy reforms that acknowledge the economic contributions of unpaid household activities, ultimately seeking more equitable recognition of women’s labour in the national economy.

News Source: The Hindu

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