7th Movie on the House Episode 

Women and Economics

The Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS) on February 9, 2024, hosted its 7th Movie On The House (MOTH) series, featuring an extended excerpt (Women and Economics) from the feature-length documentary “Who’s Counting? - Marilyn Waring on Sex, Lies and Global Economics.” The documentary delves into the groundbreaking work of feminist economist and writer Marilyn Waring, where she challenges conventional economic models, exposing gender disparities.

The panel discussion was expertly moderated by Ms. Astha Bhatta, Program Specialist at the Center for Economic Policy, IIDS. The esteemed panelists included Dr. Kalpana Khanal, Senior Research Fellow at Policy Research Insitute, Hon. Dr. Uma Shankar Prasad, Member, National Planning Commission, and Dr. Resham Thapa-Parajuli, Associate Professor at Central Department of Economics, Tribhuvan University. The program was facilitated by Ms. Kriti Sharma and Mr. Ashish Ghimire, interns at IIDS.

Waring’s Legacy

“Women and Economics” is a 30-minute excerpt where feminist economist Marilyn Waring critiques the Gross Domestic Production (GDP) as a modern economic measurement which often sidelines women's contribution to society despite their active role and participation. The documentary adds a revolutionary feminist lens to the modern economy, prompting viewers to question women's invisible contribution and reassess if we can define women's care work as “leisure period.” Waring has pointed out how the unpaid work performed by women accords to the nation's economy and this contribution goes unmeasured and undervalued to date.

According to Waring, those who are visible participants in the national economy (GDP) are the ones who will be represented and receive political advantage. During her appointment in the New Zealand Parliament, Waring researched the daily lives of women she encountered in developing countries who were actively working for 16-18 hours without a break. Waring presented two examples, first was how child production and bearing, which is mostly done by women, is not counted in the present economy as valuable contribution. The second example she provides was of   subsistence economy, which is performed by non-primary producers (women) in developing and underdeveloped countries, that is of “little or no importance economically”.

The screening was followed by an interactive panel discussion and discussion of questions and answers with a live audience consisting of youth from various NGOs, academic institutions and think tanks.

Reconsidering GDP as a Comprehensive Measure

The panel discussion highlighted the limitations of GDP as a National Accounting Tool, especially in human development aspects such as childcare, unpaid labor, and inequality prevalent in our society. Simon Kuznets created the GDP system implemented during the Great Depression that began in the United States. It was later systematically integrated into Bretton Woods institutions such as the World Bank, IMF, and the United Nations, emphasizing using GDP to measure economic progress. The panelists suggested alternatives like HDI, Genuine Progress Indicator, Better Live Index, and other multidimensional approaches like G1, G2, G3, G4, and G5 rather than focusing on GDP as a yardstick. The panel emphasized the need for a more inclusive system and rejected GDP as the sole measurement tool for human growth and well-being. Unlike the documentary that advocated uprooting the entire concept of GDP, the panelists believed in innovating and improving newer approaches alongside the existing concept of GDP.   

Invisible women and the formalization of the care economy

The panelists acknowledged that our society has a significant blind spot concerning women’s care work contributions and proposed the need to establish more visibility and value of work in this sector. The panelists discussed their conflicting opinions and agreed that the care economy shouldn't be categorized by gender, race, or socio-economic status.   

The formalization of the care economy was discussed during the panel discussion to bring gender equality and potentially smash the patriarchy. The panel discussed public expenditure in care work, retirement benefits, and good pay funded by the public sector. The care economy has gained significant attention in the post-COVID era with the rise of the care crisis in developed nations. The panel believed Nepal should be able to recognize, pay, and offer benefits to those who contribute to the care sector. They also recommended using a “time use survey,” suggested by Dr. Waring but were unsure how feasible it would be. It was uncovered that Nepal in the 1970s had performed a valuation of women’s care work based on time and the concept was not unheard of in our society.    

Navigating the Upcoming Care Deficit

The panelists also emphasized how the care economy is an important aspect of societal development, with a focus on recognizing the role of women, addressing the care deficit in countries like Nepal, and providing support through public expenditure. They discussed the agreement between Nepal and the UK, where the Government of Nepal intends to send 10,000 nurses to the UK, and they also critically assessed whether this held the government’s vested interests. Further discussing this issue, the panelists stated that this initiative would be “British gain and Nepali shame.” They viewed this demand and supply dynamic through a macroeconomic lens, indicating broader economic concerns with Nepal’s financial dependence on remittance and the large-scale migration of skilled human resources.  

Post-COVID 19, there's a growing need for care services, and to fulfill this deficit, different channels are opening, where countries of the Global South, like Nepal, are giving care services to the Global North. To combat the upcoming care deficit in Nepal, the panelists suggested steps such as the involvement of Nepali local government in managing care initiatives, pooling funds for the care economy through municipalities, proper use of public expenditure, and starting to value the care economy formally. 

The event summary was prepared by Shamila Pokharel and Kamakshi Shah, Research Interns, IIDS