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

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

Consequences

Poverty

Welfare

Inequity

Rights

Sustainable development

Quality of care

Women bear the

brunt

Gen

Global Gender Gap, 2015

Political Economic

Health Education

SRB

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

Care work: Stereotype

Sex Gender

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

Bretton Woods

• Opening of markets

• User fees

• Micro Finance and SMEs

• SEZs

• Infrastructure needed by better off

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.

Markets

Men as normNo reservation

for SC/ST

Entry, training and

promotions diff

Limited maternity/care

leave

Care has to be partially

purchasedHazardous care

Local government/community

• Care is not available at local government office

• Few religious institutions offer care services, and they may not be secular

Household

care

Standards poor

Violations

Responsibility women and

girls

ForwardWays

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 conventionsWhat 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

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

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, crechesin 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

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

Community

• All local government offices should have care facilities – for elected women, staff and for those visiting the same

• Community women run creches??

Household

Men

Women

Step towardsEquity/rights

Welfare

development

Act in unity on Care: Rights/Equity, Welfare, Quality, Sustainable

development

International, national

markets

Community

HH

Thanks