• The reality of women and unpaid care work in Sri Lanka

Every day, millions of  Sri Lankans perform work that is necessary for families and communities but is rarely recognised as “real work”. They cook meals, clean houses, wash clothes, look after children, care for elderly family members, support sick relatives, manage household needs and provide emotional support. Most of this work is done without a salary. It is known as unpaid care work.

Unpaid care work is often deemed essential to the functioning of society and in many cases, done by those who are able and willing. It includes activities that support the wellbeing of other people without direct payment. It includes cooking, cleaning, washing, shopping for household needs, caring for children, looking after elderly people and supporting family members who are sick or have disabilities.

The term also includes the mental and emotional responsibilities involved in managing a household. While unpaid care work can be done by those who are able and willing, many female readers stated that they have to remember school activities, medical appointments, household expenses and the needs of different family members. Although these tasks may not always be visible, they require time, planning and energy.

Without it, children could not be cared for, older people would not receive support, and many workers would not be able to go to their jobs. Yet unpaid care work is often treated as a normal responsibility of women rather than as a valuable contribution to the household and economy.

Viluthu, a non-profit feminist organisation specialising in empowering women and marginalised communities, released a report in August detailing how gender inequality, including unpaid care work, negatively impacts women’s economic participation. This may lead to women becoming dependent on their husbands, partners or families and unable to escape sexual and gender based violence. 

Why women carry more of the burden

In Sri Lanka, traditional ideas about gender strongly influence who performs care work. Cooking, cleaning and caring for children are often considered women's responsibilities. Men are more likely to be viewed as providers whose main responsibility is earning an income.

“In schools we were often taught that women are naturally nurturing and better at housework, even if the education was indirect,” Amaya De Silva,27, said. “I remember the civics books showing women working in kitchens and older sisters taking care of their younger siblings. Even western media depicts older sisters and mother figures as natural nurturers.” 

This division becomes especially difficult when women also have paid employment. A woman may work eight hours outside the home and then return home to prepare dinner, clean the house, help children with schoolwork and care for family members. Her working day therefore does not end when her paid job ends.

“I cook and clean while having a full time job,” Charmi Perera,61, said. “My husband has retired but doesn’t do any chores meanwhile my grown up daughters say they will not carry the burden of unpaid care work.” 

Women who are not in paid employment can face a different form of inequality. Their contribution to the household may be dismissed because they do not receive a wage. However, the absence of a salary does not mean that the work has no economic value.

The cost to women's lives

The unequal burden of care affects women's education, employment, income and personal wellbeing. Time spent on unpaid work is time that cannot easily be used for paid employment, education, rest or leisure.

This is particularly important for girls. When families face financial difficulties or increased care needs, girls may be expected to help with household responsibilities. 

For adult women, unpaid care can also limit opportunities to enter or remain in the labour force. A woman who has to care for young children or elderly relatives may have fewer choices about where and when she can work.

“I work in a company where a senior male in management asked me if I was married or likely to get married,” a reader who wished to remain anonymous said. “I assume he was trying to figure out if I would be burdened with care work. What is interesting is that he didn’t ask my male coworkers those questions.”

The burden can also affect mental and physical wellbeing. Constant responsibility for other people's needs can create stress, tiredness and a lack of time for self-care.

Unpaid work has economic value

Although unpaid care work does not usually appear in GDP figures, it supports the paid economy. Workers can go to their jobs partly because someone prepares food, cleans homes and cares for children and dependent relatives.

“Unpaid care responsibility often goes unseen,” legal and policy researcher Menaka Lekamwasam, said at an event on unpaid care work and sexual and gender based violence held on the 14 August. 

This demonstrates why unpaid care should not be viewed as an unimportant household activity. It provides services that would otherwise have to be purchased or performed by someone else.

Sharing the responsibility

Reducing the burden on women does not mean reducing the importance of care. Instead, care responsibilities should be shared more equally between women and men, families, communities and the state.

Men can take a more active role in cooking, cleaning, childcare and caring for elderly relatives. Families can encourage boys as well as girls to learn household and care responsibilities.

“I actually refuse to do any chores that aren’t equal to the chores my brother gets,” De Silva said. “I have heard things like you’re a girl so you need to keep your room clean or your brother being a boy does more than you. What’s disappointing is that it comes from my mother who is another woman.” 

Government policies are also important. Affordable childcare, better support for elderly people and persons with disabilities, social protection and workplace policies that support both women and men can help reduce the pressure on families.

Conclusion

Unpaid care work is one of the foundations of Sri Lankan society, but much of it remains invisible. Women continue to perform a disproportionate share of this work, often alongside paid employment and other responsibilities.

Recognising unpaid care work is an important first step. The next steps are to reduce unnecessary care burdens, provide better support services and redistribute responsibilities between women and men. Care should not be seen as “women's work”. It is a shared social responsibility.

A more equal approach to care would give women greater opportunities to study, work, earn income and participate fully in society. At the same time, it would create healthier and more supportive families. Valuing women's unpaid work is therefore not only about recognising what women already do. It is about creating a fairer Sri Lanka where everyone's time and contribution are respected.