The Women and Media Collective launched its Conference Volume Titled “Working Hours: Exploring Gender Dimensions of Unpaid Care Work” on the 12th of June 2023, compiling a selection of research papers presented at the Conference on ‘Equality & Equity in Recognising Unpaid Care Work and Women’s Labour in South Asia’ convened by the Women and Media Collective (WMC) in collaboration with the Social Scientists’ Association (SSA) in October 2022 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.

The event started with the Welcome Address delivered by Ms. Tharanga de Silva, Director of Operations at the Women and Media Collective, extending a warm welcome to all attendees. Setting the tone for the evening, she highlighted the significance of the conference volume and its focus on exploring the gender dimensions of unpaid care work.

She was followed by the keynote speakers who took the stage and share their perspectives on the subject matter: Dr. Sepali Kottegoda, Director of Programmes at the Women and Media Collective, delivered a thought-provoking speech, shedding light on the importance of understanding unpaid care work’s gendered nature and its implications for society. Dr. Pradeep Peiris, Executive Director of the Social Scientists’ Association, provides valuable insights into the broader social, economic, and policy aspects related to unpaid care work, emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to address this critical issue.

A dynamic panel of experts provided their own thoughts on the Conference Volume that provided an engaging conversation with the audience of CSO, NGO and think tank Representatives.  The panelists included, Dr. Vagisha Gunasekera, of the Open University of Sri Lanka, Priyanthi Fernando, Executive Director of the International Women’s Rights Action Watch-Asia Pacific , Dr. Radhika Coomaraswamy, a human rights lawyer and former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations.

As the event drew to a close, Ms. Kumudini Samuel offered closing remarks, summarizing the key takeaways from the panel discussion. Ms. Kumudini Samuel concluded the evening by inviting all participants to a reception, where further networking and conversations took place. The reception provides a platform for attendees to connect, share their thoughts, and continue engaging with the important topic of unpaid care work and its gendered dimensions.

With the launch of the conference volume the WMC aims to create a platform for continued dialogue, research, and action towards creating a more equitable and inclusive society, recognizing and valuing the significant contributions of unpaid care work.

To access the full Conference Volume, Please click here, Recognise Reduce and Redistribute Unpaid Care-Option_English