The unpaid domestic work by women should be part of national income.
She save money with in the home, But these every activity has a monetory value attached with it. Thats why these activities are also economic activities.
More than 90% of Indian women participate in unpaid domestic work while only 27% of Indian men participate in these activities according to National Statistical Office survey conducted in 2019. Moreover, a another study conducted by The International Institute for Population Science - Mumbai, revealed that Indian women involved in unpaid domestic chore is 10 times the Indian men in these activities while the world average is that women involved in these activities is 3 times the men participate in these activities. And the women's participation age group is from 20 to 49 years which is also reproduction age group, that also shows women's production and reproduction work-life imbalance and it affects their health conditions also.
India is a populous country and 90% of its 50% population (women) engaged in unpaid domestic work. This thing is hampering India more rather than any other country in the world. This maximum participation also have social and cultural elements that Indian society is based on family values and work and responsibilities division among family members from ancient times. Now, just need to account their work according to modern economic tools. And their (women) work matters more than it seems.
So, Goverment need to develop methodology to quantify household work by women to calculate accurate national income. Let's understand more why unpaid household chores by women should be counted. Childcare at home is like kindergarten. And it is mostly done by women, specially in India. Some experts claim that women domestic work like childcare, cooking, washing, housekeeping etc. are not economic activities.
But, these all domestic activities involve economy. Let's understand it simply -Suppose we give ten thousand rupees to a labour for these activities. The labour gets ten thousand monthly which he spends on his/ her living. So these are economic activities. But, what if a woman of the same house decided not to keep that labour and she does all the household work by herself. Does here it not involve money? The answer is that it still involve money but the only difference is that, now the money is in the same house. The money is in the same house thats why we say it a saving. But, the job (house chores) is same and now done by a female member of the family. If the job is done by a family member it doesn't mean it has no monetory value. It also has a monetory value. The only difference is that the wife doesn't ask for money from her husband for her domestic work and the work is said to be unpaid. But, if a owner or his/her family members working in their own company, they calculate their salary to show less profit to reduce dividend and to save tax. But, if a men working in a government or private sector is paying the tax on his income and not deducting the money from his gross salary which he would have to pay to the labour for the same house hold work that is done by the female member of his family.
Same way, if she is teaching her children at home, she saves the tution fee. Like teaching, cooking is also a full profession where a cook earns by cooking in hotels and restaurants. She also cook delicious food at home. Again, she save money with in the home, But these every activity has a monetory value attached with it. Thats why these activities are also economic activities. If all these are economic activities then, why not accounted in a nation GDP( gross domestic product). The national income calculated without considering these activities is inaccurate.
Therefore, need to forge consus among countries to develop a sound methodology which provides quality data for these economic activities by considering the social and cultural differences across the world. India being a populous country and a leader of global south should lead the idea.
Thanks for reading.
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