What is Unpaid Care and Domestic Work?
"Unpaid care and domestic work" encompasses a wide range of non-market unpaid activities performed in households, including direct care for dependents such as children, sick family members, older persons, and persons with a disability, as well as indirect care such as cooking food provisioning, cleaning, collecting fuelwood and water. The provision of care work is the foundation of human life and has an intrinsic value being the precondition for a thriving and sustainable economy with a productive workforce.
The responsibility of unpaid care and household work falls disproportionately on women and girls around the world, and its unequal distribution is impeding the advancement of women's economic and social empowerment. On average, women in Asia and the Pacific spend 4.1 times the amount of time men spend on unpaid care work. In order to free up women and girls' time and provide them with greater prospects, including access to education, employment, and the ability to contribute to the economy, the equitable redistribution and reduction of unpaid care work is crucial.
Our Work on Unpaid Care Work
ESCAP’s work on valuing unpaid care and domestic work and investing in the care economy in Asia and the Pacific has accelerated the implementation of global gender equality commitments in the region.
This commitment resonates with the principles outlined in both the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the 2019 Asia-Pacific Declaration on Advancing Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, which reaffirms the region's dedication to promoting gender equality and the empowerment of women.
ESCAP's actions align with the clarion call of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ‘leave no one behind and reach those furthest behind first’. Our work aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5 which focuses on “achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls”, with a particular emphasis on target 5.4, to “recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate”.
Our Analytical Work
by Institute of Development Studies and ESCAP
Providing Technical Support to Member States
ESCAP, in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), developed a conceptual framework for addressing unpaid care and domestic work. The framework provides a comprehensive view of the factors essential for understanding the intricacies of the care economy and crafting effective care policies. It highlights that the care economy and women's roles within it, are influenced by various differentiating and moderating factors, including women's sociodemographic characteristics, household dynamics, population trends, societal ageing, changing family structures, and country-specific contexts. Additionally, it underscores the significance of enabling factors, particularly macroeconomic policies, in shaping the care economy. The proposed care-sensitive policy framework, places care recognition as its cornerstone.
Case Study Reports
ESCAP has continued its collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies, resulting in the publication of four case study reports. These reports focus on Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Uzbekistan, providing valuable insights into the challenges and dynamics of unpaid care and domestic work in these countries. They serve as essential resources for policymakers, researchers, and advocates, contributing significantly to our understanding of this crucial issue.
Based on ESCAP’s experience in delivering highly successful capacity-building workshops, ESCAP in collaboration with the Institute of Development Studies is now developing a policymaker’s handbook and facilitators guide for ministries to conduct their own capacity-building workshops and training, and for other countries interested in working on the care economy to be able to replicate such capacity-building activities.
A Policymaker's Toolkit for Valuing Unpaid Care and Domestic Work and Investing in the Care Economy
Developed collaboratively by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in the United Kingdom, the Policymaker's Toolkit for Valuing Unpaid Care and Domestic Work and Investing in the Care Economy is a comprehensive resource aimed at empowering policymakers to effectively value and invest in the care economy. For more information, click here: A Policymaker's Toolkit for Valuing Unpaid Care and Domestic Work and Investing in the Care Economy | Asia-Pacific Portal for Gender Equality (asiapacificgender.org)
ESCAP Country and Regional Level Technical Cooperation
Cambodia
In Cambodia, ESCAP collaborated with IDS and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs Cambodia to conduct a national study of the care economy in Cambodia. ESCAP was invited to present the paper at a National Public Forum in Phnom Penh in September 2022. ESCAP also supported the development of a national framework for action through inter-ministerial and stakeholder consultations led by the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, namely the National Public Forum on Advancing Women Entrepreneurship in ASEAN through Family Care and Social Protection Policies. In August 2023, ESCAP successfully concluded a capacity building workshop on the care economy for more than 30 officials for the Ministry of Women’s Affairs. During this event, participants shared learning, best practices and discussed the way forward for Cambodia to address the care economy. This capacity-building event was followed by a three-day national consultation on valuing and investing in unpaid care and domestic work convened by ESCAP and Ministry of Women’s Affairs Cambodia. During this consultation ESCAP introduced the model framework for action to relevant line ministries and held one-on-one consultations with each line ministry to identify areas for potential collaboration to implement a plan for each of these policy priority issues. Following the consultation, ESCAP will support Cambodia in drafting a national action plan on the care economy.
The Philippines
in the Philippines © ESCAP
In the Philippines, ESCAP partnered with Oxfam to support advocacy and capacity building efforts of relevant line ministries, conducting online training sessions. In addition, ESCAP collaborated with the Philippines Commission on Women (PCW), to conduct a national study on care economy concerns, and co-organized a CSW65 side event in 2021 bringing further attention to unpaid care work. ESCAP was also invited to present the study at a National Statistical Conference in the Philippines in October 2022. In September 2023, the Philippine National Consultation on valuing and investing in unpaid care and domestic work was jointly convened by PCW, ESCAP, and Oxfam Pilipinas, with support from the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. Participants, including both governmental and non-governmental entities, assessed current conditions and identified potential areas for joint interventions aimed at valuing and investing in the care economy in the Philippines, promoting women’s economic empowerment and participation in the labour force, and advancing the collection of gender data. The outcome of this national consultation resulted in a set of recommendations aligned with the discussions, guiding future actions for accelerated action in these areas.
As a follow-up to the Philippines national consultation, ESCAP conducted a subnational consultation in Ormoc City in the Philippines, jointly with the National Economic Development Authority-Region 8, the Philippine Commission on Women, the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement and Oxfam Pilipinas. The consultation served as a critical platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas, with a particular focus on:
- Data and Evidence Building in Care
- Care and Climate Nexus
- Local Policies to Recognize, Reduce and Redistribute Unpaid Care and Domestic Work.
Eastern Samar
The outcome of the national consultation was a set of recommendations on areas for accelerated action, in line with the consultation discussions. These recommendations contributed to the drafting of a provincial level care ordinance which has now passed its third reading at the provincial level general assembly. It is set to be entered into local legislation following a final public hearing in early 2024.
China
The Roundtable on China Care Economy Policy Actions and International Cooperation was jointly convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Center for International Knowledge on Development (CIKD). The roundtable served as a critical platform to deliberate on the pressing issues surrounding the care economy, especially the disproportionate care burden for women, in the contexts of current and emerging megatrends such as population ageing and the shrinking labour force. It also aimed to solicit inputs on how these issues could be addressed by more proactive policy solutions in China that could contribute to more inclusive, just and sustainable growth.
The roundtable was part of the project “Advancing gender equality through recognizing, reducing and redistributing unpaid care work of women and girls in Asia and the Pacific”, implemented by ESCAP’s Social Development Division under the China-ESCAP Cooperation Programme. This project aimed to provide technical support to governments in four Asia-Pacific countries (i.e., Cambodia, China, Indonesia and the Philippines) to design and implement policy initiatives at the national/subnational level that recognize, reduce and redistribute the unpaid care and domestic work responsibilities of women and girls and promote the enhanced participation of women in the labour force. Such policy initiatives may include the development and scaling up of national investment in care infrastructure, care services, gender-responsive social protection measures, as well as employment-related care policies.
Lao PDR
and Investing in the Care Economy
The Lao PDR National Consultation on Valuing Unpaid Care and Domestic Work and Investing in the Care Economy was jointly convened by the Lao Women's Union (LWU), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and Oxfam in Laos.
The objective of the national consultation was to serve as an interactive forum for key stakeholders to examine ways to accelerate progress and adopt care policies at the national level. It offered all stakeholders an opportunity to take stock of, as well as consider, possible areas for joint interventions to value and invest in the care economy in Lao PDR; promote women’s economic empowerment and participation in the labor force; and further advance the availability of timely, relevant, and comprehensive sex-disaggregated data and gender-related information.
The consultation served as a critical platform for exchanging knowledge and ideas, with a particular focus on:
- Increasing awareness and understanding of the importance of the care economy in Lao PDR.
- Exploring innovative approaches, best practices, and successful models from national and international contexts of care policy ecosystems that address gendered inequalities in the care economy.
- Fostering partnerships across government ministries and departments to collaborate towards a comprehensive and holistic ‘whole of government’ approach to recognize, reduce, and redistribute paid and unpaid care domestic work.
- Identifying entry points for policy change (social, economic, and legislative aspects) to utilize for a concerted and coordinated implementation of care-focused policy measures, integrating both short and long-term considerations.
The outcome of the national consultation resulted in the identification of entry points for policy action on the care economy in Lao PDR.
Indonesia
The Indonesia National Consultation on Valuing and Investing in the Care Economy: Charting the Way Forward in Indonesia was jointly convened on 17 September 2024 by the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (MoWECP) of Indonesia, ESCAP, the World Bank and UN Women. The consultation served as a critical and interactive platform for multi-stakeholder dialogue to discuss priorities and strategies on the best ways forward on the Indonesian Care Economy Roadmap and National Action Plan, including within the context of the development priorities of the Government of Indonesia, as stipulated in its Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) for 2025-2029. During the consultation, participants underscored the importance of enhancing coordination among relevant ministries to streamline efforts and ensure the successful implementation of the care economy roadmap. They also discussed the need for sufficient budget allocation to support the expansion and sustainability of care services, while ensuring financial backing for care-related programs and infrastructure. Additionally, participants highlighted that strengthening data collection is crucial for developing evidence-based policies.
ASEAN
Vientiane 2023
ESCAP leverages its influential convening power to unite stakeholders and foster regional cooperation to address the care economy. In July 2023, ESCAP, in collaboration with the ASEAN Committee on Women (ACW), through Lao PDR as incumbent ACW Chair, Oxfam, and the ASEAN Secretariat, convened the Regional Forum on Care Work in ASEAN Countries. The forum yielded a set of recommendations that identify areas for accelerated action to value and invest in unpaid care and domestic work. These recommendations were then shared for the consideration of Indonesia as the 2023 ASEAN Chair and Lao PDR as the 2024 ASEAN Chair. Following the forum, ESCAP also continued the strengthening of targeted projects on the care economy with governmental institutions in Cambodia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Lao PDR, supporting capacity-building efforts of key stakeholders and the development of national frameworks for action.
Please find videos of the Regional Forum on Care Work in ASEAN Countries here.
The ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening the Care Economy and Fostering Resilience Towards the Post-2025 ASEAN Community
The 3rd ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit was convened by the Government of Lao PDR on 23 August 2024 under the theme “Strengthening Care Economy and Resilience Towards ASEAN Community Post-2025”. ESCAP, along with various development partners, hosted a series of multistakeholder capacity building events and learning exchanges during pre-Summit events held on 21-22 August that delved deeper into the Summit’s theme. At the Summit, the ASEAN Committee on Women endorsed the “ASEAN Declaration on Strengthening the Care Economy and Fostering Resilience Towards the Post-2025 ASEAN Community”. The Declaration was later adopted by ASEAN Member States at the ASEAN Summit in October 2024. The Declaration aligns with the four policy categories of ESCAP’s Model Framework for Action on the Care Economy and calls on governments to implement a comprehensive set of policies that address care infrastructure, social protection, care services, and employment.
Our Advocacy
of Care and Support
International Day of Care and Support, 29 October
In July 2023, the United Nations General Assembly, through a groundbreaking resolution proclaimed an International Day of Care and Support, to be commemorated annually on 29 October. This day aims to emphasize the importance of caregiving, recognize the contributions of caregivers, and advocate for policies and initiatives that support and enhance care in all its forms.
To celebrate the first International Day of Care and Support, ESCAP, in collaboration with UN Women, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and the United Nations Development Programme, held a virtual commemoration. This event included a compilation of messages from heads of agencies, followed by a moderated, interactive panel of care stakeholders, including representatives from government, the private sector, care worker organizations, and civil society. As an additional highlight, a 15-minute video was created, encompassing messages from partners affiliated with the Global Alliance for Care, which ESCAP recently joined. This virtual commemoration served as the second initiative of the Global Care Alliance in the Asia-Pacific region. Its primary objective was to raise awareness about the significance of care and support, emphasizing their pivotal roles in advancing gender equality, promoting healthy aging, and ensuring the sustainability of our societies and economies.
Please find the Asia-Pacific Virtual Commemoration of the International Day of Care and Support 2023 here.
Blog Posts and Opinion Pieces
Collaborating with distinguished policymakers, practitioners, and academics in the field, ESCAP regular produces blog posts and opinion pieces on the care economy, contributing to the discourse on this crucial topic. Notably, the blogs have garnered significant attention and have been picked up by regional news outlets, amplifying their reach and impact. ESCAP also maintains an active presence on various social media platforms as part of its ongoing efforts to promote awareness and engagement regarding the care economy. Through informative and engaging content, we strive to inspire discussions, share knowledge, and encourage collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
Our Reports
Latest Reports
Female labour force participation in the care economy in Asia and the Pacific