Value of unpaid domestic work could be as high as J$991b annually - study
Published:Friday | October 14, 2022 | 4:29 PM
A new study by the Caribbean Policy Research Institute (CAPRI) has estimated that the value of unpaid care and domestic work in Jamaica could be as much as $991 billion annually, or 45 per cent of gross domestic product.
The study, Who Cares: The Real Cost of Unpaid Care and Domestic Work was released by the think tank on Thursday evening.
It noted that there had been no valuation of such work, which is mostly done by women, and its study sought to find out what the monetary costs would be if domestic labour were not done for free.
The CAPRI study estimates that, depending on the method of calculation used, unpaid care and domestic work in Jamaica has an annual value ranging from $340 billion or 15 per cent of GDP to $991 billion or 45 per cent of GDP.
It said caring for children aged 0-5 has the highest contribution of all care activities at $94 billion, while preparing and serving food has the highest contribution of all domestic activities at $258 billion.
The CAPRI study also found that 66 per cent of the estimated monetary value of unpaid work is generated by women.
It said Jamaican women spent more time on unpaid labour, regardless of their consumption quintile, age group and region they were from.
It stated that women's workload of unpaid labour and paid work combined is heavier than that of men.
The study noted that the time spent on unpaid work has an opportunity cost for women as it means less time available for paid work and reduced ability to find and keep quality jobs.
A recommendation coming out of the study is for the government to subsidise the care economy by issuing vouchers for use at daycare and nursing care facilities.
It also suggested that state agencies take the lead by offering childcare services to public sector employees at their workplaces.
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