This presentation defines unpaid care, and outlines the consequences of unpaid care on women and girls' welfare and rights. It also shares different feminist positions on origin of unpaid care work by women, and argues for locking at intersection of patriarchy, global capitalism, caste and other hierarchies which shape unpaid and low paid care by women. It argues that if the gender gap in economic and political sphere are to be bridged and if violence against women is to reduce inter-state organisations, state, markets, community and households have to reduce the care burden of women, with the burden shifting to state, markets and men in the household and men leaders of community

1. Political economy of unpaid care in a
neo-liberal era and possible solutions:
A socialist feminist perspective
Ranjani.K.Murthy,
rk_km2000@yahoo.com
Presentation in Actionaid’s workshop on
Unpaid Care Work on March 21, 2015

2. What is care?
Domestic work
• Cooking
• Cleaning
• Washing
• Water &fuel
collection
Care of
persons
• Children
• Elderly
• Differently
abled
• Able –bodied
• Sick
Where?
• At home
• In community

3. Consequences
Poverty
Welfare
Inequity
Rights
Sustainable
development
Quality of care
Women
bear the
brunt
Gen

4. Global Gender Gap, 2015
Political
Economic
Health
Education
SRB

5. Why care responsibility on women?
Socialist feminism
Patriarchy/capitalism/other hierarchies State provision , sharing, drudgery reduction , redistribution
Marxist feminism
Capitalism/neo liberal paradigm Eradication of private property, state provision of care
Radical Feminism
Men Women live together, Care collective responsibility
Liberal Feminism
Lack of awareness Sensitise men & policy makers

6. Care work: Stereotype
Sex Gender

7. So what happens in a neo liberal
regime?
Those who
cannot afford
engage in
unpaid work
Those who can
partly afford
pay for some
care services,
but not others
Those who can
afford
pay/outsource
Immigrants

8. Bretton Woods
• Opening of markets
• User fees
• Micro Finance and SMEs
• SEZs
• Infrastructure needed by better off

9. Neo-liberal state and care
• Unpaid care not accounted
• Rolling back of budget for agri and social sector-
DWS, ICDS, Health, Middle and Higher Education
• Low paid care work AWWs, Ayahs, ASHAs
• Shelter homes – decrease in total budget
• Care within MGNREGA?
• Plan budget less than non plan
• Privatisation
• Govt. view of women -mothers, future mothers,
rape survivors.

10. Markets
Men as norm
No reservation
for SC/ST
Entry, training
and
promotions diff
Limited
maternity/care
leave
Care has to be
partially
purchased
Hazardous care

11. Local government/community
• Care is not available at local government office
• Few religious institutions offer care services,
and they may not be secular

12. Household
care
Standards
poor
Violations
Responsibility
women and
girls

13. ForwardWays

14. International
Already have
• UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human
Rights’ report on unpaid care, 2013
• Draft SDGs which make reference to reducing and sharing
of unpaid care work; Beijing+20; ILO conventions
What we need to strengthen internationally and nationally
• Binding general comment on ICESCR on unpaid care
• Each UN agency should look at reducing unpaid care
• Budget for work on care
• Sharing of good practices
• Good indicators and data on care work
• Data on indicators

15. National
Legislation and policy on care and gender
equality
Review of every policy and budget proposition
from a care lens – SPECIAL CESS FOR CARE
State programs on child , elderly, differently
abled, sick care etc
State social security schemes; child benefits
Inc % in formal sector, sensitise private sector
and parties agst. prejudices

16. National
Extra allowance/pensions if govt servant has more
dependents with them
Program and budget for working with Men/Boys/W/G
Investing in infrastructure- eg intra village roads, creches
in market yards, bus stations, train stations
MGNREGS could consider all care work wherever done as
work- but training of care givers on quality, stereotypes
Care work reduction technologies and products

17. Markets
• Companies to provide parental leave
• Rejoining policy without loss of promotions
• Reentry policy
• Rest room and breast feeding place
• Creche fully paid by company in company
premises
• Elderly/diff abled care care fully paid by company
• Reduce number of employees –for such
measures apply

18. Community
• All local government offices should have care
facilities – for elected women, staff and for
those visiting the same
• Community women run creches??

19. Household
Men
Women
Step towards
Equity/rights
Welfare
development

20. Act in unity on Care:
Rights/Equity, Welfare, Quality, Sustainable
development
International,
national
markets
Community
HH

21. Thanks