The Sunday Mail
Rudo Mandiro
Women’s rights groups are working with Parliamentarians to design a policy framework for Unpaid Care and Domestic Work (UCDW), which will improve the welfare of unpaid care workers.
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) defines UCDW as “non-remunerated work carried out to sustain the well-being, health and maintenance of other individuals in a household or the community.”
Statistics show that across the globe, women and girls are responsible for 75 percent of UCDW in households and communities.
In 2019, a report by non-governmental organisation, Action Aid, noted that women spend 4 hours and 25 minutes a day doing UCDW in comparison to men who average one hour 25 minutes.
Speaking at an indaba hosted by the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women’s Affairs, in collaboration with the Women Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE) in Harare this week, Shamva South MP, Honourable Bramwell Bushu, said UCDW burdens many women in Zimbabwe.
“There is need to address the issue of UCDW, as it is a major barrier to women’s potential to benefit from initiatives such as the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and women’s ability to enjoy wider economic and social human rights.
“It is our duty to submit the model on UCDW to the August House, so that our country aligns with the international policy frameworks on such work.”
Speaking at the same indaba, WALPE executive director Mrs Sithabile Dewa said the policy will give recommendations for policymakers to implement.
“The policy will look at the country’s national context, interrogate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on UCDW, and then give recommendations based on recognised international best practices, for policymakers to implement,” she said.
“As women, we require member states to not only recognise and value unpaid care work, but also to provide public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and to promote shared responsibilities for care work within the home.”
