Waring (2003) critiques the UNSNA's system of accounting for unpaid labor in the home and community. The majority of this labor is performed by women. When household labor is not accounted for in official numbers, then the women performing that labor also lose access to other economic programs. Waring (2003) identifies two ongoing issues in economic accounting systems:
1. Systems do not ask people to set their own indicators of well-being.
The most dominant measurement system uses economic growth as an indicator for people's well-being. Waring (2003) argues that economists should speak with people and ask them to rate their own well-being.
2. Systems should present data in non-monetary terms.
Waring (2003) argues that putting a monetary value to all work falsely aligns work in the home with market exchange. If unpaid labor were accounted by hours or workload instead, Waring (2003) points out, issues of gender inequality in terms of labor load could be better addressed through things like childcare services.
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