salary for housework to home makers

Ever since the Corona virus entered the Indian households, there seems to be a sudden awakening among members of the families, regarding the endless and onerous household tasks performed by women who are in charge of home management due to observing them at close quarters. Media too, started giving coverage to discussion on the need to assess the money value of the home tasks and to compensate women in money terms on a regular basis. Feminists too, started raising their voice regarding the gender injustice prevailing in this matter. Now the political voices from  Kamala Hasan (MNM) and Stalin (DMK president) are heard on this matter . Both have promised to pay home makers regularly. These promises are made on a very shallow basis and without knowledge on the various theories suggested by economists earlier to determine the money value of home tasks and dismissed them as impracticable.  If there is any confusion in the minds of the civil c society regarding the way to celebrate International Women’s Day, they can start this day by greeting all the women who are near and dear to them, by giving them memorable gifts chosen with care and regularly covey to them their recognition, appreciation and gratitude for their selfless, dedicated lifelong service to the family members and payment of honorarium at regular or irregular intervals and n most importantly by  sharing  home tasks on a permanent basis.  

 

economic value of husework

The print media has started giving attention to  a hitherto neglected area in gender injustice by publishing series of articles on the need to recognise house work as an economic activity and pay the home makers every month . A number of established political leaders  and new political leaders  are making poll promises to fill up this gap and  please women voters. They make this promise without understanding the difficulties faced by economists who tried to evolve theories to measure housework and failed to  offer an agreeable solution to this problem  in the past and without understanding financial  burden of the state governments  that would accrue . All along, women never grudged to  render home services and never expected money payment for  their home services  since, it had been rendered with love,  care and as basic duty for the welfare of the family. But  in the recent times, educated home makers with  professional skills who are forced to give up their jobs with decent salaries after marriage and children and  do not want to be tied down to home tasks for  ever  since, it would push the liberated women of today into economic dependency which is the main reason for  domestic violence .Payment of salary to housework  by husbands would create  new problems in their  personal relationship . What women want is recognition and appreciation of their meticulous services done to the family members and volunteering for division of work among them so that, home makers ie.,  mothers  can get few hours of me time and use it for personal care or to pursue a hobby and turn it into income earning activity or opt for part time or flexi time job opportunities  or simply take  rest. Their decision depends on the importance they give to economic independence   and turn into productive human resource through contributing to GNP.