Topic: 2024-Unpaid Care and Domestic Work
Country: Republic of Korea
Delegate Name: Reagan Overmyer
UN Women
Unpaid Care and Domestic Work
Reagan Overmyer
Williamston High School
Republic of Korea
Unpaid care and domestic work are essential to every functioning household, yet are scarcely regarded as work. There is a severe gender gap between men and women when it comes to duties around the household and caring for the family. Women are two and a half times more likely to contribute to household activities than men due to societal expectations and standards. South Korea believes this work should not go unnoticed, and could profoundly affect the economy.
There are a few types of care and domestic work. Interactive care is developmental and physical care for children, relatives, and adults. Another type is supervisory care, which is spending time with a child or older relatives. The third and possibly the most important type is support care. Duties like washing dishes, vacuuming, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning would fall under this category. Society can only function with this supportive care. When looking to compensate for unpaid domestic work, the most important aspect is determining the value of the work, which can be very controversial. Compensation for tasks would lead to a wealthier society. The expectation of household duties on women limits career development, preventing them from being promoted, which may lead to stunting economic growth.
South Korea believes that in order to create a more stable and prosperous economy, women should be compensated for domestic work and care. Determining the monetary value of these essential tasks is highly debated, but it should be a top priority of the women’s rights committee. When “invisible” work such as this is recognized as a job, it will be a massive step for women’s rights. South Korea looks forward to working with countries like Turkiye, the US, Ireland, and Portugal to solve this pressing issue.
