UNPAID WORK DONE BY WOMEN AT HOME IN PAKISTAN

UNPAID WORK DONE BY WOMEN AT HOME IN PAKISTAN WHAT IS UNPAID WORK OF WOMEN The work done by women at home which includes cooking Meals ,Taking care of Children, Elders even Sick, Cleaning ,washing Clothes and in rural areas collecting fire hoods on their hoods as fuel ,Collecting water from wells or other sources is totally unpaid as neither it can be measured nor it is considered as work as their inherited duty. 75% of house hold work is done by women at home but it is Invisible ,Unrecognized and undervalued According to express Tribune 26 June 2019 Pakistani women face worst disparity in unpaid work due to Gender Inequality. According to UN report 2019 -2020 Pakistani women spend 11 hours in unpaid work as 1 hour of men for same work which is highest as compared to other neighboring Muslim countries • In Oman women spend 2.5 hours for unpaid work while Men 1 hour • In North Africa/ West Asia women spend 6 hours for unpaid work while Men 1Hour. • In Belgium women spend only half Hour on unpaid work while Men 1 hour for same work. This unpaid house hold work (Domestic) leaves women far behind to take part in paid labor ,political Participation, Self-care, Rest and leisure even it thrives young girls from self-confidence ,personal development through play and socialization. Due to this burden women lose jobs and girls have to leave their education as due to social norms and culture it is understood that this is the responsibility of women ,girls in childhood especially in rural areas are brought up this mindset that they are responsible to do this not boys or men. Even women try to find out jobs which suits or does not interfere with their responsibilities at home and naturally those are less paid. According to Guardian in a survey published on Monday 9th May 2022 due to this non promotable (Domestic) work done by women make them miss their promotions and increase in salaries. For those women in Middle or Low income class who do jobs are not exempted from this domestic work and they face double burden of work outside and inside but even are not given any appreciation as mindset of community . The working women in Middle and low middle class Not elite or upper class raises up before all and prepares breakfast ,prepares children for school ,make something for afternoon and every one wakes enjoys hot meals ,clean clothes and leave ,even sometime the woman who prepares meal has no time to eat . According to Washington Post on 20th May 2022 the Pandemic 19 has emerged as “Disaster For Feminism” as during indoor or online work the men were staying at women even those women who were doing jobs stayed home but all work burden was beard by women keeping every one comfortable and enjoying Hot meals ,Tea ,Juices etc. The Domestic work is “Socially Reproductive” but as it has no monetary reward but rather it enables others especially Men to perform their jobs with fresh minds and without stress, maintain health and enjoy but neither it is Socially celebrated nor recognized. According to World bank only 20% (3.7%) women in Pakistan work in in formal paid work which is lowest not only in South Asia but globally and reasons behind include Low education level ,Mobility challenges and Gender Norms . Why this work is not valued according to brainly.in as the work don by women at home is not given any Remuneration (Monitory) therefore it is considered as their duty and not valued . No doubt it helps to boost economy but it is much less than Paid work done in same time as total value of unpaid care and domestic care is estimated to be between 10% and 39% of GDP but unfortunately not valued. According to ILO total 16 Billion hours are spend on unpaid work every day and if it is valued like Paid work it will represent Tenth of World’s Economic output. The Beijing Declaration Platform for Action listed unpaid care /Work as major barrier to Gender Equality in 1995 and it remains same today. UN Women has also recognized that care work has increased burden on women both House wives and those working doing jobs outside to participate and support their families in financial gaps and many strategies are made one of which is Through Global ,Regional and National initiatives the social norms must be formulated to support equal distribution of care among both men and women. Launching the Campaign i.e #HeSheAtHome which aims to highlight the unfair burden on women and encourage men to bear equal share in domestic work. Developing the “because I am a Man “ campaign in Arab states and regions. Many organizations are working in Pakistan but just to pass resolutions and conduct seminars take slogans about Women rights is not solution as everyone knows that the domestic work cannot be measured as one article in Hindustan Times stated that at one hand woman is taking care of her child and on same time she is either packing food for husband so the time is 24/7 what we need is to bring behavioral change in community that men can help women in domestic work but instead in our culture if any man tries this he is labeled as “SLAVE OF WIFE”. From childhood the boys are not taught to do their own personal work but just order to mother or sister and as they are grown up a viscous circle starts therefore it is matter of mindset. We should value every women working effortlessly at home and with appreciation should help her .