Poll Results October 2023
Unpaid Care Work
The International Youth Think Tank is currently producing a Policy Brief to launch a proposal that aims to revalue unpaid care work. We reach out to you in the IYTT Youth Panel to receive your views and perspectives on unpaid care work, and the way in which this affects democratic and social rights. Unpaid care work refers to labour within a household which can include the care of persons, housework and voluntary community work. The survey has 5 questions and should take no more than a few minutes.
Question 1
Do you believe that some people do more unpaid care work than others?
91,7% Yes
8,3% No
Why? / Why not?
[Yes] Bigger household / bigger house
[No] I don’t know
[Yes] Because of financial needs
[Yes] In my opinioni, I believe that parents, especially those Who have a daughter or son or both with a cognitive or a physical disability, dedicate the majority of their time to manage the time in order to find a Valance between the care of their children and the space time as well as their work time. I believe that, at least regarding to Italy, that It Is nearly impossible receiving the proper assistance both by the State and the private dedicate and follow the care of their children and members of the family due to the pack of transparency of the bureacratic procedures to receive assistance for the wellbeing and to develop autonomy (of It Is possible) in the First Place; in the second Place the costs of this health care service are huge expensive especially for a family with a low wage
[Yes] It is something that we cannot mesure
[Yes] Due to deeply ingrained gender expectations and beliefs about gender inclinations and nature, it is mostly women who end up taking care of housework and childrearing, but also of other family members and matters requiring care. This care work is so overlooked that (almost) no compensation is provided.
[Yes] Due to certain situations, depending on their reality. Some asylum cases or immigrants who think they have no other choice.
Question 2
Is it a democratic problem if some people do more unpaid care work than others?
58,3% Yes
41,7% No
Why? / Why not?
[No] I thinking what’s going on inside a household is dependent on one household’s decisions and intimacy. It is private and It has nothing to do with democracy.
[No] I don’t think so. I don’t understand the question. What do you mean by more? What is care work?
[Yes] Because our societies do not cater for the needs of those who do more unpaid care work than others
[Yes] The fact that people Don’t receive a proper wage for their profession due to senseless cut of budget made by the goverment or by the managers of the hospital. In addition, I believe that neither receiving proper benefits such as financial deduction, having a qualified nurse, health assistance or educator in order to help the family, especially their sons and daughters, to help them with their treatment in order to help them to achieve autonomy.
[Yes] It is on our responsability to let everyone know, that it is valuable too
[Yes] Care work requires a great deal of time and effort. Such resources are limited. So if a person has to engage in unpaid work, they will not have as much time to work a full-time job on top of it. A lot of people in this situation often end up getting just a part-time job or even not getting one at all. As a result, a part of the population is significantly underpaid, as they get paid only for their official job and not for all the other work they do at home.
Moreover, unpaid care work may take away free time from the person that does it, increasing the chances of that individual being stressed, frustrated, and having poor mental health conditions.
[Yes] Because people deserve to be treated better
Question 3
Do you think that it is important for democracy that unpaid care work is revalued?
72,7% Yes
27,3% No
Why? / Why not?
[No] See previous answer
[Yes] For better human conditions
Question 4
Do you think that it is important for democracy to legislate and regulate work hours and working conditions for unpaid care work?
81,8% Yes
18,2% No
Why? / Why not?
[No] See previous answer
[Yes] In order to avoid the explotation of their work conditions, to help the family to recognize what benefits could receive and how ti defend by an illegale refusal of receiving the proper treatment and others actions what could damage the most fragile members of the family
[Yes] But in which sense?
[Yes] I think if it is the right thing to do then they should
[Yes] To ease the work
Question 5
Should unpaid care workers have a national representative body?
75% Yes
25% No
Why? / Why not?
I think it is not my point. It should be them
[Yes] To fight for their rights if need be