In developing countries, millions of women perform unpaid work — at home, on farms, in family businesses… Yet this labour is absent from economic records. A new study published by Springer reveals that millions of hours of unpaid work performed by women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are not reflected in economic records, and that this invisible labour deepens income inequality while slowing economic growth.
Invisible Labour, Real Inequality
Household chores, childcare, eldercare, helping out on family farms… Women in developing countries spend millions of hours every day on unpaid work. However, this labour is not reflected in official statistics; it is not counted as employment, does not generate income, and is excluded from economic growth calculations.
The new study published by Springer shows that the impact of this invisible labour on the economy is far greater than previously thought. The research emphasises that women’s unpaid work increases income inequality and hampers economic growth, but with the right reforms, this labour can contribute positively to social welfare.
A New Model: LEIM (Labour–Employment Independence Model)
One of the study’s most notable aspects is its challenge to traditional economic models by proposing an alternative approach:
LEIM — Labour–Employment Independence Model.
According to this model:
Labour is not dependent on employment status. In other words, a person may be performing significant labour such as childcare or eldercare at home, and although they receive no pay and have no formal employment contract, their labour is no different from that of the employed workforce.
This distinction is especially important for the unpaid work predominantly carried out by women. LEIM separates labour from employment, making unpaid work visible in economic analyses. It also incorporates socio-cultural factors — such as gender roles, patriarchal norms, and the division of labour within households — offering a more inclusive and realistic perspective.
What Needs to Be Done?
The study points out that ignoring unpaid labour leads to a significant loss both economically and socially. Proposed solutions include:
- Including unpaid labour in national income accounts,
- Strengthening social support policies for women,
- Treating care services as public services,
- Changing perceptions of gender-based division of labour.
LEIM provides the technical means to measure these changes and to make invisible labour visible.
Conclusion: Uncounted Labour, an Unaccounted Future
Women’s unpaid work sustains not only households but the entire economy. However, when this labour is omitted from economic records, income inequality becomes entrenched, and development is guided by distorted data. Thanks to new models like LEIM, this invisible contribution can now be measured. The issue is not just about measurement — it is about recognising, valuing, and transforming.
İNSAN 