'Dying to be Noticed' Gender: Work and Death Registration in New Zealand

Abstract

Statistical information is often used for the basis of resource allocation in social policy. This paper discusses the historical and present day categorisation of women's work as it applies to the census and death registration. From a feminist/policy perspective, I will explore the relationship between 'official' representation and its power for the construction of particular social/political/economic identities. I will argue that the historical legacy of categorisation and construction of identity which persists in 'official' data collections continues to shape and influence policy parameters and decisions about the 'worth' of women's work, particularly unpaid work. Within the context of the current political and economic climate, the implications of continuing to inadequately represent the unpaid contributions of women will also be examined.