THE Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU) has implored government to recognise domestic and care work at law and to ensure that the people, mainly women, involved in care work are supported through the fiscus.
In a statement, the workers’ union said: “Recognising unpaid care and domestic work as an economic contribution and understanding care as a universal basic right is crucial to the new development model the world over.
“The importance of tackling this challenge has been acknowledged in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, through objective 5.4 which states the need to recognise and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies, and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as national priority.”
“There is need for establishment of support centres to provide awareness, counselling and support for women in care work who suffer from domestic violence, stress and other mental issues. There must also be access to free medical services for women in full-time care work,” ZCTU said.
Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Women Affairs is currently visiting different parts of the country to gather views on recognition of unpaid care and domestic work in the country.
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