Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn't be that women are the exception. 

                                                                                                   -Ruth Bader Ginsburg 

  

Around the world, women spend two or ten times more time on unpaid care and domestic work than men. The vast difference in gender roles and division of labor is a dangerous norm. It has become a saddening norm in many of our homes where women are forced to sacrifice their careers and work for their homes, with no power to make their own decisions. 

The predominance of women in unpaid domestic work such as cleaning, cooking, tending to children and the elderly have primarily kept them out of economic activities and empowerment. I have witnessed many women in my life never being appreciated for their countless efforts and time. Gender prejudice and inequality are evident, with Mckinsey estimating that women do 75% of the world’s total unpaid care and domestic work. In India, women spend 299 minutes a day whereas men only spend 97 minutes on unpaid domestic work, according to the 2019 NSS report on time use. Certain studies indicate that women pay close to 352 minutes per day, a massive 577% more than men(52 minutes). These statistics clearly show us that there needs to be an enormous change in how domestic labor is perceived concerning gender. 

But more than the statistics, the stories of women who face this injustice offer us insight and solutions to overcome this gender bias. To understand women's lives and their resistance against unpaid labor, I had a thought-provoking conversation with Aruna (an accountant turned homemaker) and Uma (a chemistry graduate turned homemaker). The discussions provided several perspectives and reasons for unpaid care work and its harmful effects. 

The idea that only women are caregivers 

The idea that only women are caregivers and should take care of the home has led to discrimination. Men tend to always go for outdoor work, earn and enjoy leisure. In contrast, women aren't allowed the same privilege because of the mentality that women shouldn't go out to jobs and have a social life for themselves. This restriction stems from the unequal power dynamics present at home. Men naturally assume that only they can make proper financial decisions. Society believes that women shouldn't spend money and time on themselves and that they are financially illiterate. There is a natural assumption that women can only take care of their homes and are not capable. Aruna recounts that she had a good government job. But she had to let go of it after the birth of her second child because her family wasn't willing to help her with household work. This hurt her deeply, causing a massive loss in her independence and income, which could have significantly supported her life. 

The constant work and lack of freedom from the nagging daily routines made Uma feel exhausted. Uma found it hard to focus on her life and priorities. 

Very few women get the help they need to have a healthy and prosperous life. A recent article where a woman is cooking while suffering from COVID and was with the help of oxygen support triggered conversations online. Some conversations glorified motherhood and whether the photo was genuine. Still, many felt it was unfair and wrong to constantly promote women's unpaid care work even when they are unhealthy and unable to do it. 

Unrecognized and Unfair nature of Unpaid work 

Care work is an essential part of human welfare. However, women who take care of their homes are majorly unrecognized for the effort they put into sustaining the well-being of society.  Some women manage their career and home with minimal support from their partner or family, leading to distress. Sometimes, they are forced to leave their jobs because of a complete lack of support. 

Aruna recounted her in-laws believing that a woman's place is in the kitchen. All the work she did for her home was not appreciated because it was considered her duty. Uma talks about an incident in her memory where her husband wouldn't even take a glass of water or help their children with homework because he believed it was his wife’s work to take care of the family’s needs. The lack of recognition and support affects a woman’s well-being and goals. 

Decreased Female Labour Participation 

The unpaid care work women do is negatively associated with their participation in the workforce. A ten percentage point increase in women’s labor participation rate is associated with a decrease in women’s unpaid care work. Aruna was awaiting a promotion when forced to leave her job and take unpaid care work at her home. She deeply regrets leaving the workforce and that many friends like her had to do the same. Uma feels that companies should have friendly policies to help increase women’s participation in the workforce with a focus on gender equality, maternity leaves, and compensation and creches for children. Women represent 35% of the active working population in countries where women spend eight times more time on unpaid care work. Governments need to have policies that provide a healthy-work balance for higher female economic participation and growth. The unpaid care work that women do every day amounts to 12.5 billion hours. When valued at a wage that might be minimum, it represents a contribution to the worldwide economy of a minimum of $10.8 trillion a year.  

Poverty and Unpaid Labour 

Women from poor and marginalized backgrounds are more disadvantaged than women from urban spaces in terms of unpaid labor. The added work of drawing water from wells, lack of quality resources, and absolute time poverty. Women take up unpaid care work since there are no other members to carry out domestic duties, accounting for 64% in India. 

But both Aruna and Uma feel that changes are needed at various levels. They think it is essential for governments and individuals to understand the importance of care work and equal division of labor with the coming generations. The interview ended positively with reaffirmations and conversations on ways to change the society around us in its understanding of unpaid care work. 

If you or somebody you know is facing similar issues, consider reaching our ‘Support’ and ‘Engage’ verticals for affordable and inclusive help!   

Like our content? Please show us some support by sharing and up voting! 

Image Credits - Pexels.com