To discuss further about Care Economy, we can use Feminist Economics perspective. This perspective has challenged Neoclassical Economy Theory whose statement is that economic progress should be visible, male dominated, and public (Nelson, 1992). This statement leads to the argumentation that the issue of domestic Care Work is not contributive to the economy. On the contrary, Feminist Economics believe that the reproductive function carries by women has been massively contributive to the economic sustainability of a nation.
How does care work contribute to the economy?
Care work has been socially constructed as a personal business, and that it has nothing to do with the macro economy. However, in fact, care work has contributed very significantly to a country’s development. If we think deeper, none of us are able to go to work at peace if there is nobody who takes care of the housework. Who will cook our breakfast? Who will prepare our business attire? Who will make sure that our house is clean when we come home? And most importantly, who will be taking care of our children or sick parents when we are at work outside? We all need to manage the care work if we want to sustain our economic function.
This topic becomes important and relevant because not many people realize how significant is the contribution of Care Work to the macroeconomy and country’s development in general. A very interesting survey was conducted in Indonesia to measure the direct contribution of Care Work towards the country’s economy. Atnike Nova Sigiro and friends tried to achieve this objective by monetizing the value of Care Work. Generally, Care Work requires at least three professional skills done by a domestic worker, babysitter, and gardener. The economic value based on the approximate salary of these jobs is almost 7 million rupiah. With 47.9 housewives in Indonesia, this number is equivalent to 308 trillion rupiah or 10% out of 1,750.3 trillion Rupiah State Budget in 2017 (Jurnal Perempuan, 2018: Vol. 23, No. 4). Despite that fact, we are now still living in a condition where women do the Care Work, unpaid, because society construed it as only female responsibility to take care of the house and family.
What does the international society say about this?
This issue of Care Economy has become an international concern because it involves several points in Sustainable Development Goals, namely eradicating poverty; promoting good health and well-being; providing a quality education for all; universal gender equality; decent work and economic growth; reducing inequalities; and sustainable cities and communities. At a high-level event on International Human Rights Day on 10th December 2021, the Global Alliance for Care called for a human rights perspective to be incorporated across all efforts to transform the global care agenda. The Global Alliance for Care is a global multi-stakeholder initiative launched by the National Institute of Women in Mexico (INMUJERES) and UN-Women in the context of the Generation Equality Forum. The Alliance with 52 member states issues an urgent call to guarantee the recognition, reduction, remuneration, and redistribution of domestic and Care Work among every co-responsible actor. One of the international commitments is to promote regulatory framework and legislative reforms.
What about Indonesia?
Indonesia has not yet become a member of the Global Alliance for Care. However, many international organizations such as ILO and UN Women have begun to advocate this issue in Indonesia to raise awareness for more just economic policy in Indonesia. This topic was even discussed in the previous G20 forum that happened in Bali last year. The Bali Care Economy Dialogue from 12-14 November 2022 convened approximately 70 experts from government, the private sector, and civil society organizations to focus on effective policies and strategies for building a resilient care system (Asia Foundation, 2022). As a follow up to the G20 meeting, the government of Indonesia held an initial meeting conducted in Jakarta on 12 April 2023 to identify the opportunities for collaboration and contribution to the development of Road Map on Care Economy which attended not only by ministerial but also various development agencies such as World Bank, Asian Development Bank, UN Women, UNFPA, and Oxfam. Lenny N. Rosalin as Deputy Minister on Gender Equality of the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection, once highlighted the importance of investment and comprehensive cooperation in Care Economy Policy especially post Covid-19.
As a matter of fact, Indonesia still has a lot of homework regarding the recognition, reduction, remuneration, and redistribution which has been the main concern of Care Economy. In terms of recognition for instance, Care Work is still perceived as just domestic business which is not contributive to the economic progress of the country. As for the reduction, the provision of care facilitation in Indonesia is also still very minimum. Remuneration is even more challenging to be implemented due to the perception that Care Work is very personal and state has nothing to do with it. Lastly, for redistribution, we need bigger effort to challenge the traditional value that Care Work is only the responsibility of the women in the family. Both of men and women should share the same burden to take care of the house together.
Looking at the current situation in Indonesia, a more comprehensive collaboration between multisector is very much needed. International organization as the regime shall give recommendation to the country, government should be able to created more just Care Economy policy, and civil society must contribute to the demolish the gender discrimination of the domestic role between men and women.