‘Unpaid care work impacts women empowerment’

LAHORE:‘Care work is seen as a women’s work which is undervalued by society; 90% women in Pakistan spend average six hours doing unpaid care work within their homes, making it 180 hours/per month, valuing Rs27,693/per month.

As per ILO, about 76% of total unpaid care work is done by women at global level. As a result, the profound impact of this unequal distribution of responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work has on women’s empowerment.

‘It is important to recognise unpaid care work as work and redistribute it within family so that the total amount of unpaid care work is more fairly shared, and shift some of the cost and responsibility to the state and private sector.’

These views were expressed by speakers at the launching ceremony of a research report titled ‘Contribution of Women Domestic Workers in Unpaid Care Economy’, organised by WISE (Women in Struggle for Empowerment) here at a local hotel. Besides women domestic workers, representatives of govt, academia and civil society joined the event.

The panelists, including Dr Shahla Tabassum – Lead Researcher, Bushra Khaliq – Executive Director WISE, M Shahid – Senior Law Officer, Labour & Human Resource Department Punjab, Aima Mahmood – member Governing Body PESSI, Shahnaz Ajmal – President, Women Domestic Workers Union, Punjab, Zeba Ghafoor – MPA and senior journalist Ajmal Sattar shed light on the role of women domestic workers in the unpaid care economy.

Dr Shahla Tabassum said the research focuses on four dimensions of care work, including domestic care dimension, child care, elderly care and care of special persons. These dimensions were measured in terms of average time spent in these activities every month and economic calculation of same activities every month.

She said this work must be redistributed within family so that the total amount of unpaid care work is more fairly shared. She said public awareness programmes on the significance of unpaid care and domestic work is the first step in the process of making them visible, highlighting economic and societal value of unpaid care work.

Similarly, training programmes for family members on the importance of shared domestic care responsibilities are useful. Also, govt should provide resources and organise workshops to educate individuals on practical ways to contribute to household chores and caregiving dues. Media Campaigns are equally important to challenge cultural and religious norms that perpetuate traditional gender roles.

Executive Director WISE, Bushra Khaliq said the research conducted by WISE is unique and first of its nature on the subject of Care Economy, aims to build arguments for recognition of women's care work and their important contribution to household economy. Member Governing Body PESSI Aima Mahmood said working women have to do double duty but sadly their crucial contribution to national and family economy is not acknowledged.

Ms Sabahat, Senior Law Officer, Labour & Human Resource Department Punjab, said so far, 30,000 domestic workers have been registered along with some bodies of employers in selected localities.

Taking about the hurdles in the way of domestic workers’ registration with PESSI, she said the absence of workers welfare fund causing delay. M Shahid – Deputy Secretary Minimum Wage Board, Labour & Human Resource Department Punjab told that Labour department conducted a survey of domestic workers; there are about 912,000 domestic workers in Punjab.