Abstract

This research paper explores how and why unpaid work is excluded from national income metrics. Unpaid work, which involves domestic and care work, remains excluded from the System of National Accounts' (SNA) Production Boundary; this leads to incomplete economic indicators. This study critically examines the SNA framework, highlighting its limitations in capturing non-market activities and their economic value. Through a socio-economic approach, the paper deeply studies methodologies such as the opportunity cost method, replacement cost method, and time-use surveys to measure and value unpaid work. To avoid underestimation or overestimation of these services, we reviewed extensive literature on various theories and case studies trying to include unpaid work in national accounts. The findings of the paper highlight the importance of unpaid work and its contribution to societal welfare and male-female equality. The paper proposes expanding the SNA production boundary to include unpaid work in the GDP.