A Chinese man has been ordered to pay his ex-wife 50,000 yuan ($7,700) in compensation for unpaid domestic work and childcare during the couple’s five years of marriage.
The landmark ruling by Beijing’s Fangshan District Court is believed to be the first in the country to set a monetary worth for domestic labor by a spouse.
According to court records, the man identified by his last name Chen, filed for divorce from his wife, identified as Wang, after getting married in 2015.
She later requested financial compensation, arguing that Chen did not shoulder any housework or childcare responsibilities for their son.
The divorce court ruled in her favor, ordering Chen to pay her monthly alimony of 2,000 yuan ($300) on top of the one-time payment of 50,000 yuan ($7,700).
The settlement was based on a new civil code in China, which was introduced last year, which permits a divorcing spouse to seek back pay if they had been the primary one responsible for child-raising or other domestic labor.
This includes assisting in their partner’s work or taking care of the elderly relatives.
Prior to the legal change, an ex-spouse is only eligible for compensation if this agreement was laid out in a prenuptial contract.
The case has sparked a huge debate online over the value of domestic work – which worldwide disproportionately falls on women.
Topics related to the ruling had been all-over Weibo, China’s equivalent to Twitter, and had been viewed and discussed for over 400 million times.
“It’s only right that the money should be given, but 50,000 yuan is too little. If you go out and work for half a year you’d earn more than that,” said one Weibo user.
Others argue that the compensation for unpaid domestic work was unnecessary, as the woman “also enjoyed the fruits of her housework.”