GDP and Unpaid Labour
The Date for the 2024 Budget Speech has now been confirmed.
While Women’s Unpaid Labour is not included in South Africa’s GDP, it is important to quantify.
The ILO (International Labour Organisation) and one.org Africa estimates Women’s unpaid work to be at 10% -39% of a countries GDP.
Stats SA advises that distribution of GDP across economic sectors 2022, includes Agriculture at 2.83% and Industry at 24.68%. Comparing percentages, the contribution of women’s unpaid labour to the economy must be accepted. At the very least it is more than 3 times what agriculture contributes and probably more than Industry.
When this great participation is not acknowledged a vast percentage of our population and their actual input to the economy is ignored. By ignoring an industry, we do not assist, or ask the opinion of this industry, on how to better and improve conditions. When an industry is not quantified it cannot receive support such as subsidies, economic assistance, infrastructure, education and R&D.
The Social Wage assists vulnerable households, it does not support or pay a wage for the unpaid work of women, some in vulnerable households, some not. It does not afford women equity and autonomy.
It would be interesting to see the impact a Union for unpaid workers would
have.
51.1 % of South Africans are women. And Unpaid work is a part of the lives of almost all, from the girl child to the adult. It crosses race, sexual orientation, disability, religion and economic status. It includes the “employed” and the “unemployed”.
I call on the Minister of Finance, Mr Enoch Godongwana, to acknowledge the contributions made by the unpaid work of women to the economy of South Africa in the Budget Speech 2024.
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Feb 2024
