Unpaid care work should be discussed in a parliamentary session
Today, the Musine Kokalari Institute for Social Policies submitted an advocacy letter to the Presidency of the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo and to the heads of the Parliamentary Groups, requesting a parliamentary discussion focused on care work as unpaid labor.
Care work as unpaid labor refers to tasks typically performed by individuals within families, such as cooking, cleaning, childcare, and caring for elderly family members or other persons dependent on the care of others. This work is essential for the well-being of our citizens and communities, yet it remains unrecognized and undervalued in our country.
Women in Kosovo bear the greatest burden of care work as unpaid labor, as they are expected to
take on the majority of household duties alongside their paid work, even if they have the opportunity to work outside the home. This leaves them with less time and fewer opportunities to pursue other interests and to fully participate in public life.
Care work as unpaid labor has not been sufficiently discussed in the public sphere and has not received adequate attention in public debate. Therefore, it is necessary for this issue to be addressed in the Assembly of Kosovo.
Full letter:
Dear Members of the Assembly of Kosovo,
We, as the Institute for Social Policies, are writing to you today to advocate for an issue that affects many people in Kosovo, especially women and marginalized communities – care work as unpaid labor.
As you know, care work as unpaid labor refers to tasks typically carried out by individuals within families, such as cooking, cleaning, childcare, and caring for elderly family members or other persons dependent on the care of others. This work is essential for the well-being of our citizens and communities; however, it remains unrecognized and undervalued in our country.
Women in Kosovo bear the greatest burden of care work as unpaid labor, as they are expected to take on the majority of household duties alongside their paid employment, if they are able to work outside the home. This leaves them with less time and fewer opportunities to pursue other interests and to fully participate in public life. It also creates deep gender inequalities.
In fact, one of the main reasons for economic inactivity among women in Kosovo is due to their caregiving responsibilities. Many women are unable to work outside the home because they do not have access to affordable childcare services.
It is essential to recognize the value of care work as unpaid labor and to take steps to support those who perform it, especially women and marginalized communities. We are writing to urge you to prioritize the issue of care work as unpaid labor on the public agenda by discussing it in a plenary session of the Assembly.
We propose that the Assembly consider and discuss the best ways to:
- Raise public awareness about the concept of care work as unpaid labor in order to change societal attitudes toward unpaid care work and to recognize it as a valuable contribution to our families and communities;
- Encourage further studies and research in this area;
- Develop policies and programs to support those who perform unpaid care work, including access to affordable childcare services;
- Develop policies to support long-term care for the elderly and persons with special needs, including access to affordable and high-quality care facilities;
- Work towards the implementation of the new EU agenda on unpaid care work (the European Care Strategy), which aims to reduce gender inequality and promote inclusive growth by recognizing and valuing unpaid care work that is essential for the functioning of our economies and societies.
We consider it extremely important that actions be taken on this crucial issue and that the Assembly helps promote a more just and equal society in Kosovo.
Attached to this letter, you will find our organization’s research, which includes quantitative and qualitative data about Kosovo. We remain at your disposal for any information and assistance you may need to address this issue.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Institute for Social Policies “Musine Kokalari”