The Unequal Care Burden on Women and Its Impact on Economic Participation

I am so excited to welcome you to October’s Work & Family Month! We have so much planned and I cannot wait to share more in the coming days. I kicked off the month here in Lagos, Nigeria alongside the Bella Naija and The She Tank #hermoneyherpower initiative on national TV igniting the conversation around care work and its impact on women’s economic power. You can catch up on this important conversation on NewsCentral TV or below:

This week, The Care Gap is addressing a pivotal issue: the unequal care burden on women and how it limits their participation in the formal economy. Despite their significant contributions, women's work of caregiving is often undervalued, leading to economic disparities that ripple through society. Let's discuss these themes and explore pathways to a more equitable future.

TLDR:

• Undervalued Women's Work: Women's contributions in the home have historically been undervalued, despite their substantial impact on the economy.

• Shift to Informal Economy: To participate in the formal economy, many women shift the care burden to the informal economy, relying on marginalized domestic workers.

• Reflecting Societal Values: The lack of national policies for parental leave, low wages, and lack of protections for domestic workers highlight the devaluation of care work.

• Call to Action: Systemic changes are necessary to value care work and support women's full economic participation.

Undervalued Women's Work

Economists often claim that women are not adequately represented in the formal workforce, yet women have been working since the beginning of time. The issue lies in the fact that their work is not valued appropriately. Even when women work full-time jobs, they still bear the majority of domestic responsibilities, resulting in them working more total hours in a day compared to men.

Women have always been integral to economic productivity, albeit in roles often deemed as non-economic or informal. The failure to recognize and value this labor perpetuates economic disparities. Women are typically tasked with unpaid domestic duties such as cooking, cleaning, and caregiving, which, while critical to societal functioning, are not included in traditional economic metrics.

Data Insights:

• Time Investment: According to the OECD, women spend an average of 4.5 hours per day on unpaid care work, compared to 1.5 hours for men. This discrepancy leads to women working an equivalent of 85 additional days annually.

• Economic Contribution: The International Labour Organization reports that unpaid care work contributes to about 9% of global GDP, predominantly performed by women. This significant contribution remains invisible in GDP calculations, masking the true extent of women’s economic involvement.

Shift to Informal Economy

To participate in the formal economy, many women have shifted the care burden to the informal economy of domestic workers. These workers are predominantly women with little to no formal education, often from marginalized communities such as Black, Hispanic, or immigrant backgrounds. The devaluation of care work continues, as upper middle-class or wealthy women shift their burdens to other marginalized women.

This dynamic reveals a disturbing trend: the undervaluation of care work transcends socio-economic classes, perpetuating a cycle of exploitation. Domestic workers provide essential services that enable other women to enter the workforce, yet their labor is often underpaid and unprotected.

Relevant Statistics:

• Demographics of Domestic Workers: According to the National Domestic Workers Alliance, 95% of domestic workers in the U.S. are women, and more than half are women of color. These workers are typically paid low wages and lack job security.

• Economic Disparities: Domestic workers earn a median wage of about $10.21 per hour, significantly lower than other household workers such as gardeners or personal drivers who are predominantly men. This wage gap highlights systemic undervaluation of predominantly female roles.

Reflecting Societal Values

The lack of value for care in society is reflected in various ways. The absence of a national maternity and paternity leave policy for new parents, low wages, and the lack of social protections for domestic workers highlight this issue. Additionally, professions where women are overrepresented, such as daycare workers, teachers, and early childhood educators, are notoriously underpaid because society expects women to care for children free of charge.

These issues are symptomatic of deeper societal norms that undervalue traditionally feminine roles. The lack of institutional support and fair compensation for care work perpetuates gender inequalities and restricts economic mobility for women.

Case in Point:

• Parental Leave Policies: The U.S. is one of the few developed countries without a national paid parental leave policy, putting immense pressure on new parents, particularly mothers. This lack of support forces many women to choose between their careers and caregiving responsibilities, exacerbating the gender pay gap.

• Wage Disparities: According to the Economic Policy Institute, domestic workers often lack basic labor protections, including overtime pay and health benefits, exacerbating economic vulnerabilities. This lack of protection highlights the systemic undervaluation of care work compared to other sectors.

Moving Forward

To address these disparities and support women's full economic participation, we must implement systemic changes:

1. Recognize and Value Care Work:

   • Implement policies that recognize and compensate unpaid care work.

   • Include caregiving responsibilities into GDP calculations.

2. Support Domestic Workers:

   • Ensure fair wages and labor protections for domestic workers, including overtime pay, health benefits, and safe working conditions. This can be achieved through legislation and enforcement of existing labor laws.

   • Promote legislation like the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights to provide legal protections and recognition. Legal frameworks should be strengthened to ensure that domestic workers receive the same rights and protections as other workers.

3. Equitable Distribution of Care:

   • Encourage equitable sharing of domestic responsibilities between men and women from a young age to break traditional gender roles. Educational initiatives can foster a culture of shared responsibility.

   • Support family-friendly workplace policies, such as flexible work hours and remote work options, to help balance work and caregiving responsibilities. Employers should be incentivized to adopt policies that accommodate the needs of caregivers.

4. Comprehensive Parental Leave Policies:

   • Advocate for national paid parental leave policies that support both maternity and paternity leave, enabling both parents to share caregiving responsibilities. This would alleviate the disproportionate burden on women and promote gender equity.

   • Provide incentives for companies to adopt family-friendly policies and create a supportive work environment for parents. Corporate policies should align with broader societal goals of gender equality and support for families.

Lastly…

The unequal care burden on women significantly limits their participation in the formal economy. By recognizing and valuing care work, supporting domestic workers, and implementing equitable policies, we can ensure that women can fully participate in the economy and that care work is respected and compensated appropriately. Moving forward, it is crucial to foster a society that values care, promotes gender equity, and supports all workers, regardless of their role or background.

By addressing these issues and implementing systemic changes, we can move towards a more equitable and caring society, ensuring that the contributions of all individuals are valued and respected.

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The Care Gap newsletter is written by Blessing Oyeleye Adesiyan, Care Innovator, Gender Equity Expert, and Founder + CEO of Mother Honestly Group Inc., the parent company for The Care Gap, Caring Africa, and Caring Blocks on a mission to close the care gap for families, workplaces, and economies globally through content, advocacy, and technology. Follow @blessing.adesiyan @thecaregap @caringafrica and @caring.blocks for more.