Gender Inequities in India’s Care Economy

• India’s female labour force participation rate 37% lags behind the global average 47.8%, despite recent improvements. A large share of women remain unpaid helpers, reflecting the hidden burden of gendered care work.

What is Care Economy?

• Unrecognised Contribution: Supports human survival and labour force reproduction but remains undervalued, creating a “hidden care economy.”
• Difference from Monetised Economy: Unlike the formal market-based system, care work often lacks direct monetary valuation despite its economic and social significance.
• Historical Recognition: Feminist economists highlighted unpaid labour’s exclusion, leading to the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action advocating its recognition.
• Care Diamond Model: Care provision involves the State, markets, households, and communities.

Reason for Low Female Labour Force Participation

• Unpaid Care Burden: Indian women spend 299 minutes/day on unpaid work vs men’s 97 minutes (NSSO).
• Social Norms: 40% of women need permission even for healthcare visits (NFHS).
• Skill Gap: Only 23% of employable youth are women (India Skills Report 2024).
• Informal Labour: 90% of working women are in informal jobs with low wages (IL0).

Need for a Comprehensive Care Ecosystem

• Workforce Boost: India’s FLPR is 37% (2022-23), below the global 47.8%, showing care services are key to higher participation.
• Unpaid Burden: Women spend 3 times more time than men on unpaid care (NSO).
• GDP Potential: Equal gender participation could add $770 bn to GDP by 2025 (McKinsey).
• Care Informality: About 4.2 million domestic workers act as caregivers without training or protections.

Associated Challenges

• Lack of Standards: No minimum wages or safety measures for care workers result in insecure and low-quality care.
• Funding Issues: Limited financial resources and poor implementation reduce the effectiveness.
• Sector Undervaluation: The care sector’s undervaluation leads to inadequate pay and recognition.
• Policy Gaps: The absence of a unified policy framework hinders addressing diverse care needs and integrating efforts.
• Data Shortage: Inadequate data on care needs and worker availability complicates planning and implementation.

Way Forward

• Policy Framework: Adopt a life-course care policy, as seen in Sweden’s parental leave and subsidised childcare model.
• Skilled Workforce: Bridge training, skilling, and certification gaps for care workers, similar to Canada’s funded training programmes.
• Institutional Coordination: Establish an inter-ministerial committee with key ministries to drive care policy development.
• Economic Driver: Position care economy as a growth engine for productivity, gender equality, and disability inclusion, like Australia’s NDIS.

A robust care economy could raise India’s FLPR from 37% to match the global 47.8%, unlocking up to $770 billion GDP gains by 2025 (McKinsey). Investing in childcare and care infrastructure would also formalise work for 4.2 million domestic caregivers (ILO), ensuring both equity and economic growth.

Reference: The Hindu

PMF IAS Pathfinder for Mains – Question 313

Q. To what extent does women’s unpaid care burden restrict women’s participation in India’s labour force, and how can a robust care ecosystem promote gender equality? Discuss (150 Words) (10 Marks)

Approach

• Introduction: Write a contextual introduction by mentioning the current facts.
• Body: Write how women’s unpaid care burden restricts women’s participation, and a robust care ecosystem can promote gender equality.
• Conclusion: Emphasis on a multi-pronged care ecosystem to increase women’s participation in India’s labour force.