Women’s unpaid care work contributes the equivalent of nearly 12 percent of Sri Lanka’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), yet remains excluded from official economic calculations, prompting fresh calls for urgent policy action and greater national recognition.

The startling statistic emerged afresh at a discussion on unpaid care work, organised by South Asian Women in Media (SAWM) Sri Lanka, and the Women and Media Collective (WMC), at the Press Institute on Tuesday.

Addressing journalists, Dr. Sepali Kottegoda, Director Programmes of the Women and Media Collective, said recent research by economist Professor Dilani Gunawardana found that women’s unpaid care work alone would account for approximately 12 percent of GDP if assigned an economic value. When unpaid care work performed by both women and men is included, the figure rises to around 14 percent.

“These figures challenge conventional economic thinking. A substantial amount of productive labour remains invisible, despite contributing enormously to family welfare, social wellbeing and the national economy,” Dr. Kottegoda said.

She revealed that a policy framework, aimed at recognising unpaid care work, has already been drafted and submitted to the Ministry responsible for women’s affairs, with discussions underway involving several government agencies.

According to Dr. Kottegoda, the Prime Minister has been among the strongest political voices advocating recognition of unpaid care work and had highlighted the issue in her maiden speech in Parliament.

The proposed policy seeks to bring national attention to a form of labour predominantly undertaken by women, through childcare, elder care, care for persons with disabilities, cooking, cleaning and other household responsibilities.

“Without this work, households cannot function effectively and neither can the economy. Yet it is treated merely as a family obligation instead of being recognised as labour that generates economic value,” she said.

Dr. Kottegoda identified entrenched social attitudes as the biggest obstacle to recognising unpaid care work.

“Many people believe women perform these tasks simply out of love or duty. While that may be true, it does not diminish the fact that this work requires time, effort and labour. The contribution must be recognised socially and economically,” she said.

She also called on economists to rethink traditional methods of measuring economic performance and to acknowledge the role played by unpaid labour, particularly that of women.

“We need to ask why women’s labour remains invisible in GDP calculations. Recognition is not merely about numbers; it is about understanding how economies actually function,” she said.

The discussion also highlighted the need for increased investment in childcare centres, elder-care facilities and services for persons with disabilities to reduce the disproportionate burden of care shouldered by women.

Dr. Kottegoda advocated expanding paternity leave provisions, arguing that care responsibilities should be shared more equally between men and women.

Sri Lanka currently provides only limited paternity leave, a situation that women’s rights advocates say reinforces traditional gender roles and limits men’s participation in caregiving.

Participants noted that unpaid care work has increasingly gained attention, globally, with economists and international development agencies recognising its contribution to economic productivity and sustainable development.

The Women and Media Collective, which has for decades championed women’s rights, gender equality and social justice in Sri Lanka, says recognising unpaid care work is essential to building a more inclusive economy and ensuring that women’s contributions are no longer overlooked.

“We cannot continue to ignore a sector that contributes the equivalent of billions of rupees to the economy every year,” Dr. Kottegoda said.

By Ifham Nizam