As India battles the world¡¯s worst virus outbreak, some key political parties are promising an unprecedented monthly payment to all homemakers in a bid to win crucial state elections.
If enacted, the stipends would be some of the first in the world to specifically address women¡¯s unpaid labor, which economists estimate accounts for up to 39% of global gross domestic product and is often absent from official statistics. They would also represent a major cultural shake-up in a nation where women are overwhelmed with domestic duties and their participation in the workforce is among the lowest on the planet ¡ª a predicament exacerbated by COVID-19.
India¡¯s virus situation, which is now overwhelming hospitals in major cities, has hit women particularly hard. Many have reported a substantial or total loss of income since a nationwide lockdown last year, and housework has risen significantly as unemployed male migrants have returned home.
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