Product is not always tangible, it can't be always tangible. Productivity is not always measurable. All activities are difficult to be quantified and in some cases it's quite impossible to be quantified in terms of monetary value. From this point of view if we see work at home done by family's unemployed females of the age group of 18 to 60 years we can easily understand the economic importance of their social contributions. In genral when we use the term work force we talk about economic gains made by a male or female in lieu of physical or mental or both work done by him or her. Those work for generating or producing something or some service and get a remuneration for their such work are counted as work force. Thus those who can do all these and can earn but due to some one or other reason are not doing such works and consequently not getting money are not counted as work force. These people both male and female are considered as unemployed.
Now I'm confining myself to a very specific issue - should those females who fall between the age group of 18 to 60 and for all practical purposes remain unemployed be considered as active work force qualifying for remuneration ? This question is a complex one considering the small size of economy in competition to the very big size of population . India's population is roughly about 138 crore Of which female population is about 48 % . The rough share of female work force in total work force is about 19.9%. Rest is not in active economic services. And this chunk has large share of married females whose primary job includes delivering children to continue family lineage, rearing them, taking care of husband and family, managing in- house family works and kitchen work. In other words they are employed by husband and family to take care of family needs and in this course they are responsible for spending money brought by male members for fulfilling family needs. They are primarily on expenditure side of the family. They can be considered as a player in financial terms responsible for consumption of money earned by male members.
Now my question is if they can be considered as economic work force, they can be compensated , and if so how can be their role be quantified. In my considered opinion all these questions have answers in affirmative because of following reasons.
1. If males are currency earning partner they can only do so as they are able to go for work because of supply of cooked food, preparation of clothes etc in time. Males' kids are not the responsibility for males for their primary care. Males' old parents are looked after by female partners. In nut shell we can safely arrive at the conclusion that males are able to go to work only because their houses and dependents can be looked after by their female partners. If it's not so males lose interest in their works which may cost them heavily. In this way females are actively contributing in generating income.
2. Such females, because of their caring role in family are primarily responsible for generating consumption of the family. Almost everything used by a family like food items, cloths, jewellery, newspapers and other media instruments etc are primarily fall within the domain of family's females. This is true even in a strong patriarchal middle class family , where females influence males'decision decisively.
3.India is land of vast and strong social net and families spend a lot on relative's family functions and in this also females are primarily responsible for deciding articles to be gifted on ceremonial occassions.
4.India is a land of festivals and most religious functions are managed and arranged by females. Besides social religious festivals there are innumerable VRATAS specifically designed for females only and females of families are deciding players for determining the nature and extent of expenditure done by families on such occasiond. Males find it difficult to resist due to religious beliefs and traditions.
5. Among lower income groups these unemployed females take the task of informal workers , in this way directly contributing in income generation of families.
6.In lower middle income groups and also in middle income groups at many instances females take up part time direct income generating work, like doing private tution , private music classes even in their own houses without taking any place on rent, doing sewing work at mohalla level, preparing pickles, papads etc for sell in close circles of relatives and acquaintance. In this way they are directly involved in occasional income generation work.
7. Females are saving oriented people. They have unique tendency to save, to save not only money but also assets. Such savings are used for meeting future needs and for creating permanent assets.
In this way full fledged unemployed females have four sorts of economic activities. One is supporting male members in their income generating works by fulfilling family needs. Two, they may be involved occasionally in direct income generating works, without taking up any formal or informal employment. Third is that they are mainly responsible for generating, accepting and managing consumption of family. This consumption is responsible for creating and accelerating demand and in turn increases production.Fourth is their role in saving and saving results in creating assets and further demand.
Now the question arises how the contribution of unemployed females can be quantified for providing them economic compensation for their work at home which make economic contribution? In fact at present no country is in position to pay financial return for the work done by unemployed females at home as no country's economy is so big enough. Then how can this question be resolved? In fact these females have role of social reproduction in economy and they can be compensated in socio-economic terms only. Only social upliftment of unemployed females followed by economic rewards is the only way. A few steps may be suggested as below---
1. Such females may be recognized by some sort of socio economic guarantee. These will be in addition to different pensions like old age and widow pensions. Assured Universal Minimum Income (AUMI) for unemployed females which should not be treated like social welfare fund but as some sort of remuneration in form of salary may be considered.
2. Girls education up to graduation level may be guaranteed and for this infrastructure be created vastly.
3.In case of mishaps with earning males in family irrespective of the type of the deceased or permanent or temporary damage females may be insured for their part or full salary or income. In case of irregularly employed males calculations may be done converting daily income into monthly income.
4. Public Distribution System should count such females sepately for ensuring supply of food to them.
5.Subsidy or concessions in case of services and other activities may be considered.
6.Universalization of nutritional and health facilities are also needed to be done specially for such women.
7.Similarly assured housing facilities may be taken up for such females.
8.All government facilities should give priority to females. If husband is employed and wife is not all govt facilities should be provided to wife irrespective of husband's income.
9. Divorced, separated and widows should be brought into one bracket for all benefits.
10. Such women should be given confessions like concession in Income Tax Return etc.
11. Such women may be treated as a separate unit independent of their husbands' income and they must be treated as non earning persons for all practical purposes.
These are some suggestions which may be discussed and accordingly modified or extended as the case may be.
One thing we must bear in mind , keeping a woman unemployed costs more than keeping a male unemployed.