A homemaker’s workload is defined as a labor of love by many. But should their contribution to the economy be counted as productive? Should they be paid? Also, the question arises that how do you monetize their work? These questions still are taboo in our society. Arguments have been made in the past that the homemakers be quantified and paid by their spouses. But many considered it as a flawed argument because it presumed that the spouse was the owner or some kind of employer of the wife. This argument also reduced the state’s own responsibility in the matter. Besides, depositing husbands to deposit a portion of salary in the wife’s account wouldn’t essentially increase the household income, per se.
There is no dining the fact that the wife is meant to be a holder in a marriage, but it is often observed that she has little or no say in the decision-making of the household affairs. If she is not an earning member, she automatically gets reduced saying power. The whole social structure in our country which is infested with a patriarchal mindset gives her very little space to do her own thing or to take up a new vocation. Even helping a needy relative, or making any purchase can be a big task. Though the work she does is real, in terms of labor involved and results, sadly it is not monetized. It is labor no doubt, but it is not recognized.
Needless to say, women or homemakers constitute more than half of the total population. But their needs and issues are not being addressed. A homemaker doesn’t need any favors, she just needs recognition for her work towards the economy. A salary or remuneration for her work at home would be a tool for her empowerment and independence. It will also give her a life of dignity. We need to make sure that her labor and the love that she put into it, are not being ignored.