POKHARA Freshly washed clothing could be seen drying in the sun from a distance. It was the first week of Magh (January 23), and the skies were clear. On that sunny but cold day, Milan Gurung was doing dishes in freezing water. As one enters through the blue tin gate, she is seen washing utensils at a tap near the courtyard. By the time she finished cooking breakfast and cleaning, it was already 1 p.m. It had taken her longer than usual to wash her daughter's school uniform and other clothes. Milan's day begins with water heating in the early morning. Her daughter, who is in grade X, must arrive at school by 6 a.m. Milan awakens at 5 a.m. to prepare tea and breakfast. As soon as she gets out of bed, she heads to the kitchen to begin her daily routine. 'My work begins in the early morning. 'Heating water, boiling milk, making tea, cooking rice-it never really ends,' she says. After sending her daughter to school, she starts preparing lunch. She begins cleaning at 8 a.m., after finishing up the kitchen work. Her entire day is spent doing household chores, and she rarely gets a chance to rest until after noon. When her daughter returns from school at 7 p.m., dinner must be ready. After eating together, Milan finally feels some relief from the day's exhaustion. This routine has persisted for decades. The older of her two daughters is currently studying abroad, while the younger lives with her. Milan's husband works as a labourer a few kilometres from Pokhara and only returns home once a month. Her workday usually ends around 10 p.m. 'There's work both inside and outside the house. Sometimes it's exhausting. Washing clothes, cleaning utensils, and cleaning the house are all necessary tasks. My hands ache from the cold water, but the work must be done,' she says. Despite working every day for decades, Milan does not receive a salary. She has no money in her pocket at the end of the month. Nonetheless, this unpaid labour makes a significant contribution to the country's economy. According to various estimates, women like Milan contribute nearly 32 per cent of Nepal's economy through everyday household work. Milan and Shobha represent thousands of Nepali women whose labour supports the economy in unseen ways. Shobha Nepali, originally from Nirmalpokhari in Kaski, married at the age of 16 and moved to Syangja. After leaving her parents' home, she was required to take on all household responsibilities, including cleaning cattle sheds, collecting fodder, and working in fields. Her day would begin before dawn. After feeding the buffaloes, she had to make tea for all seven family members. She would only return to the kitchen to cook once she had finished her farm work. Moving to Pokhara made life easier. Though household chores remained, she was relieved of agricultural labour. However, she now has a 23-month-old son to look after. 'I get up, cook food, feed my child, clean the house, wash his clothes, and feed him again,' she says. 'The day just passes like that.' Shobha worked at a clothing store three years ago. She had to quit her job after getting pregnant. Even so, she balanced household chores and outside work. She no longer works outside, but caring for her child has become more demanding. 'It's really difficult. He keeps moving, climbing, crying. Taking care of a child is more difficult than any other job,' she says, laughing tiredly. While the child sleeps, she manages to do laundry and clean the house. During the monsoon, she returns to the village to assist with farm work. Even there, she prepares food for farm workers, ensuring that work runs smoothly. Although these household tasks appear insignificant, they collectively contribute nearly USD 11 trillion to the global economy each year. Women in Nepal perform 85% of all unpaid care work. Women devote approximately 29 million hours per day to unpaid care work. Men work only about 5 million hours per day (Source: ILO Time Use Data, UN Women Nepal). According to Manju Gurung, a women's rights activist, care work has never been recognised as an economic issue in Nepal. 'Even though women make significant contributions, care work is not considered economic work. Social norms define it as a woman's responsibility, not labour,' she says. Globally, feminist economists argue that care work supports the labour force and the economy while remaining unpaid and unrecognised. Economics lecturer Saraswati Acharya from the Prithvi Narayan Campus explains: 'If a housewife stops working, another person must be hired to perform the same duties. That in itself demonstrates the economic value of care work. However, because it does not appear in GDP, its contribution is invisible.' Whether or not the economy acknowledges them, women like Milan, Shobha, and Pramila continue to work quietly, cooking, cleaning, raising children, and supporting families. Their labour may not be reflected in economic statistics, but the economy would suffer without it. Pramila Ram, 26, who moved to Pokhara from Malangawa, Sarlahi, finds her life in Pokhara to be consistent. 'I wake up at six,' she says. 'I clean, cook, do the dishes, and send everyone to work. Food must be ready by 7:30 p.m.' She waits in the evenings. 'Sometimes they arrive at seven, sometimes at nine. I do not know. 'I just wait,' she says. 'After they eat, I do the dishes and go to bed. My work has no set schedule.' Even when she's exhausted, she can't stop. 'Even if I don't feel like eating, I must cook. If my husband asks, I have to prepare everything: vegetables, lentils, and rice. Sometimes I just make dal (lentil) and saag (spinach).' Her voice contains no complaint, only routine.