Unpaid labour

Bonded labourers
Wageless servitude

Nature

Unpaid labour refers to work performed without monetary compensation, often within households, communities, or informal sectors. This issue disproportionately affects women and marginalized groups, who undertake essential tasks such as caregiving, domestic chores, and volunteer work. Unpaid labour is a significant problem because it sustains economies and societies while remaining undervalued and unrecognized in official statistics. The lack of compensation and social recognition perpetuates gender and social inequalities, limits economic opportunities, and hinders social mobility. Addressing unpaid labour is crucial for achieving social justice, gender equality, and inclusive economic development.

Background

Unpaid labour emerged as a global concern in the 1970s, when feminist economists and international organizations began quantifying the vast economic contributions of unpaid work, particularly by women, in households and communities. Recognition intensified with the 1995 Beijing World Conference on Women, prompting governments and researchers to include unpaid labour in national statistics. Ongoing international studies have since highlighted its persistent invisibility and critical role in sustaining economies worldwide.

Incidence

Most of India's bonded labourers are at the bottom of the caste hierarchy, which makes them practically untouchable to those who might want to assist them in literacy or liberation. Some are born into unpaid servitude, as their parents were in stone quarries, rice paddies and brick kilns. Others are lured into servitude by employers or by debts that may never be repaid. A 1992 report estimates at least 5 million adults and 10 million children working without pay in India, whose population nears 844 million. Since 1980, one humanitarian organization has freed more than 40,000 bonded labourers from around India. Labourers caught escaping may be shot or beaten to death.

Claim

Unpaid labour is a critical and deeply unjust problem that perpetuates inequality and exploitation, especially for women and marginalized groups. It devalues essential work like caregiving, domestic chores, and volunteer efforts, propping up economies without fair recognition or compensation. Ignoring unpaid labour entrenches poverty and social injustice. Addressing this issue is not optional—it is a moral and economic imperative for any society that claims to value fairness, dignity, and human rights.

Counter-claim

Unpaid labour is not an important problem at all. Many people willingly volunteer or help family without expecting compensation, which builds community and character. Not every task deserves a paycheck—life isn’t just about money. Focusing on unpaid labour distracts from real issues like unemployment or poverty. Society thrives on cooperation and mutual support, not constant transactions. Let’s stop exaggerating the significance of unpaid work and focus on truly pressing economic challenges.