[India] How the value of women’s housework was calculated

Makkal Needhi Maiam - a newly formed political party in India - has promised salaries to housewives if it is voted to power.

According to the International Labour Organisation, women all around the globe spend time in unpaid work, time ranging from a maximum of 345 minutes per day in Iraq to 168 minutes per day in Taiwan. On average, men spent 83 minutes in unpaid care work while women spent three times more at 265 minutes. (Links via original reporting)

The 160 million homemakers in India - in common with many of their counterparts globally - clean, tidy, cook, wash up and manage family finances. They fetch food, water and firewood, and provide care to children and their in-laws. They reportedly spend 297 minutes per day carrying out domestic work, compared to just 31 minutes by men. A quarter of men are engaged in unpaid chores, compared to four-fifths of women.

Something not commonly known is that Indian courts have actually been awarding compensation for unpaid work done by homemakers for more than 50 years. But only after their death.

In calculating the value of housework, judges have considered opportunity cost - the impact of something that is given up in order to do something else - of a woman's decision to work at home, taken into account minimum wages for skilled and unskilled workers, considered the educational qualifications of the deceased woman and adjusted compensation after accounting for age and whether or not she had children. 

BBC News further explores the precedents and potential complexities involved for Makkal Needhi Maiam or any other party considering making this groundbreaking change.

Makkal Needhi Maiam - a newly formed political party in India - has promised salaries to housewives if it is voted to power.

According to the International Labour Organisation, women all around the globe spend time in unpaid work, time ranging from a maximum of 345 minutes per day in Iraq to 168 minutes per day in Taiwan. On average, men spent 83 minutes in unpaid care work while women spent three times more at 265 minutes. (Links via original reporting)

The 160 million homemakers in India - in common with many of their counterparts globally - clean, tidy, cook, wash up and manage family finances. They fetch food, water and firewood, and provide care to children and their in-laws. They reportedly spend 297 minutes per day carrying out domestic work, compared to just 31 minutes by men. A quarter of men are engaged in unpaid chores, compared to four-fifths of women.

Something not commonly known is that Indian courts have actually been awarding compensation for unpaid work done by homemakers for more than 50 years. But only after their death.

In calculating the value of housework, judges have considered opportunity cost - the impact of something that is given up in order to do something else - of a woman's decision to work at home, taken into account minimum wages for skilled and unskilled workers, considered the educational qualifications of the deceased woman and adjusted compensation after accounting for age and whether or not she had children. 

BBC News further explores the precedents and potential complexities involved for Makkal Needhi Maiam or any other party considering making this groundbreaking change.