Oxfam Report: 65% Of Women's Working Hours Are Unpaid Globally

India is not the only country in the world that fails to recognise women's contribution to the nation's Gross Development Product (GDP). According to a new Oxfam report, most of the work done by women around the world is unpaid, it estimates that 65% of women's working hours are unpaid. It also pointed out that to recognise women's contribution, official statistics must be changed. 

Oxfam Report On Women Unpaid Work 

Unpaid working hours of women have long been in discussion. Gender roles burden women with domestic chores, which are not considered in GDP. Oxfam analysing its international labour data found that '45% of weekly work done by both men and women globally was unpaid care'. It also pointed out that domestic duties carried out by women globally are also not valued in economic figures and GDP (gross domestic product). 

As per Sky News, Oxfam explained the measurement as "anti-feminist and colonial as it sustains a framework of value creation and productivity that only counts what can be monetised". 

Another research as reported by Sky News, found that the value of unpaid care in England and Wales is almost equivalent to a second National Health Service. As per the report, unpaid carers contribute around £162bn annually to the economy. Centre for Progressive Policy think tank also found women in the UK provided unpaid childcare for 23.2 billion hours compared with 9.7 billion hours by men per year. 

In India, a similar situation prevails. Women spend up to 352 minutes per day which makes it 577% more than men (52 minutes) on domestic work, as per the report of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data. 2019 Oxfam report also pointed out that Indian women’s unpaid work is comparable to 3.1% of GDP. 

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