BY NOKUTHABA DLAMINI
Legislators in the Parliament of Zimbabwe have called for urgent government action to recognise and support unpaid domestic and care work, warning that the burden continues to fall heavily on women and girls across the country.
The motion, raised by Omega Sibanda and seconded by Philani Zhou during proceedings of the National Assembly yesterday , highlighted the economic and social inequalities linked to unpaid care work.
MPs said domestic and unpaid care work remains a vital pillar of national development but continues to go largely unrecognised and uncompensated in Zimbabwe and many other countries.
According to the motion, women and girls carry most of the responsibility for unpaid household and caregiving duties, a situation lawmakers said deprives them of opportunities “to learn, earn, lead and thrive,” while deepening gender inequality.
The legislators expressed concern that despite its contribution to socio-economic stability and national development, unpaid care work is not adequately reflected in national budgets, infrastructure planning or social protection systems.
Parliamentarians are now calling on the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare to develop comprehensive legislation and policy frameworks on unpaid care work. The motion also urges the ministry to commission a national survey to determine the economic value of unpaid domestic and care work, including its contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The lawmakers further appealed to the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion to increase budget allocations toward social protection programmes, infrastructure development and public services aimed at easing the burden on caregivers, particularly women and girls.
The motion comes amid growing global conversations around recognising unpaid care work as a key contributor to economies and social welfare systems.