New UN Women report urges governments and businesses to treat care systems as essential infrastructure for economic growth, gender equality and resilience.
Millions of women around the world remain outside the workforce because they shoulder the overwhelming responsibility of unpaid care, a burden that UN Women says is holding back economies, widening gender inequality and limiting opportunities for future generations.
The United Nations agency is calling on governments and businesses to place investment in care systems at the centre of economic and social policy, arguing that stronger childcare, elder care and health services could create nearly 300 million decent jobs by 2035 while supporting economic growth and improving resilience.
UN Women describes care work, both paid and unpaid, as the “invisible foundation” of every economy, yet says it continues to be undervalued and unequally shared.
RELEVANT SUSTAINABLE GOALS
Demand for Care Services Is Rising Worldwide
The need for care services is expected to grow sharply over the coming years as populations age and family needs become more complex.
UN Women estimates that approximately 350 million children worldwide currently require childcare services. At the same time, the number of people needing care is projected to rise from 2.1 billion in 2015 to 2.3 billion by 2030.
The agency says this growing demand makes investment in care systems not only a social necessity but also an economic imperative.
According to UN Women, if unpaid care work were assigned a monetary value, it would account for as much as 40 per cent of gross domestic product in some countries. The organisation also says investment in care services can generate two to three times more jobs than investment in the construction sector.
Women Continue to Carry the Unequal Burden
Despite its essential role in society, unpaid care work remains heavily concentrated among women and girls.
UN Women says women and girls spend 2.5 times more hours each day on unpaid care work than men. As a result, approximately 708 million working-age women, representing 45 per cent of women globally, remain outside the labour market because of unpaid care responsibilities.
By comparison, only 5 per cent of working-age men are outside the workforce for the same reason.
The unequal distribution of care responsibilities limits women’s opportunities for education, paid employment and leadership, the agency said.
Paid Care Work Remains Underpaid and Insecure
Women also dominate the paid care workforce, yet many continue to work under insecure conditions.
According to UN Women, women account for two-thirds of workers in care sectors, including healthcare, childcare and domestic work.
Globally, women make up 80 per cent of paid domestic workers, while 90 per cent of domestic workers lack social protection and social security coverage.
The agency says these figures highlight the need for stronger labour protections and fairer working conditions across care industries.
Conflicts and Climate Disasters Increase the Pressure
UN Women warns that conflicts and climate-related disasters are placing additional strain on already stretched care systems.
In crisis settings, women spend nearly four times more hours on unpaid care work than men as families face greater demands for caregiving.
In Ukraine, women perform an additional 16 hours of unpaid care work every week, contributing to an estimated US$72.5 billion loss to the national economy.
The organisation says stronger care systems are becoming increasingly important as countries respond to humanitarian crises and climate-related challenges.
Investment Could Create Nearly 300 Million Decent Jobs
UN Women estimates that greater investment in care services could create nearly 300 million new decent jobs worldwide by 2035.
The organisation also says investment in the care economy could produce environmental benefits, noting that it is around 30 per cent less polluting than comparable investment in construction.
The agency argues that expanding quality care services represents one of the most effective ways to strengthen labour markets while improving access to essential services for families.
Through its Transform Care Initiative, UN Women aims to strengthen care systems in more than 50 countries.
By 2035, the initiative could reach 2.9 billion women and girls, create 260 million decent jobs for women, and free up an estimated 10 trillion hours of women’s and girls’ time currently devoted to unpaid care work.
The programme seeks to reduce the unequal care burden carried by women while helping countries build stronger, fairer and more inclusive care systems.
Five Reasons UN Women Says Care Investment Matters
UN Women outlines five key reasons why governments and businesses should make care systems a global priority.
The first is economic growth. With hundreds of millions of children requiring childcare and billions of people expected to need care by 2030, stronger care systems can support expanding economies while creating substantially more jobs than investment in construction.
The second is gender equality. Women and girls continue to spend far more time on unpaid care work than men, limiting their participation in education, employment and leadership while keeping hundreds of millions outside the labour market.
The third is human rights. Although women make up the majority of the global care workforce, many continue to work without adequate labour protections, social protection or social security.
The fourth is resilience. UN Women says stronger care systems help societies respond more effectively to conflicts, humanitarian emergencies and climate-related disasters, reducing the disproportionate burden placed on women during times of crisis.
The fifth is long-term economic return. According to the agency, investment in care services can generate millions of decent jobs, deliver lower environmental impacts than comparable investment in construction and create lasting economic and social benefits.
UN Women says stronger and more equitable care systems should be viewed as essential economic and social infrastructure rather than simply social programmes.
The agency argues that investing in childcare, healthcare, elder care and domestic support services can help expand employment, strengthen economies, protect human rights and build more resilient communities.
As demand for care continues to rise worldwide, UN Women is urging governments and private sector partners to place investment in equitable care systems among their highest priorities, describing it as one of the most important decisions for advancing gender equality, economic prosperity and resilience for future generations.
