Boosting Rights, Equality, Decent Work Through Care – Mirage News

Report on the International Day of Care and Support 2025: Advancing Sustainable Development Goals through the Care Economy

Event Overview and Objectives

A high-level event was convened by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and UN Women at the Palais des Nations in Geneva to mark the International Day of Care and Support 2025. Under the theme “Care and Support for All: Human Rights for All Those Providing and Requiring Care and Support,” the event gathered representatives from governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, UN bodies, and civil society. The primary objective was to assess progress and align global, regional, and national efforts to transform care and support systems, positioning them as a cornerstone for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Care Economy’s Role in Achieving the SDGs

The care economy, encompassing both paid and unpaid work, is fundamental to social and economic stability. Investment in this sector is a direct investment in sustainable development, with significant impacts on several key SDGs.

• SDG 5 (Gender Equality): The disproportionate burden of unpaid care responsibilities on women is a primary barrier to their full participation in the labour market and leadership roles. Transforming the care economy is essential to close this gap and achieve gender equality.
• SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth): Investing in care has the potential to create an estimated 299 million jobs by 2035. It promotes decent work for a predominantly female workforce and generates substantial economic returns, with a projected US$3.76 in global GDP for every dollar invested.
• SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities): By developing gender, age, and disability-responsive care systems, nations can reduce systemic inequalities and provide essential support to all members of society.
• SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being): Accessible and quality care and support services are fundamental to ensuring the health and well-being of populations at all life stages.

Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue and Policy Experiences

Policy experiences were shared by representatives from South Africa, Mexico, Bangladesh, and Moldova, focusing on critical areas for advancing the care agenda in line with the SDGs.

• Financing and Investment: Discussions centered on sustainable public financing for care infrastructure and services.
• International Cooperation (SDG 17): The importance of South-South and international cooperation was highlighted as a key mechanism for sharing best practices and resources.
• Policy Integration: Participants explored strategies for integrating care considerations into climate, migration, and humanitarian agendas to create more resilient and equitable societies.
• Social Partner Contributions: The Confederation of Danish Employers (IOE) emphasized the need for investment in upskilling and professionalizing care work. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) reiterated that care is a human right and a foundation for social justice and inclusive growth, aligning with SDG 8.

ILO Strategic Actions for Implementation

Following the 2024 Resolution concerning Decent Work and the Care Economy, the ILO has initiated its 2024-2030 Plan of Action. Key strategic initiatives include:

1. Developing the capacities of governments, employers, and workers to implement care policies.
2. Launching the South-4-Care Platform to facilitate South-South and Triangular Cooperation, directly supporting SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).
3. Preparing a Tripartite Meeting of Experts to advance standards on paternity, parental, and other care leave.
4. Advancing global statistical work to establish new standards for measuring care work, which is critical for monitoring progress on SDG 5.4 (Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work).

Recommendations and Call to Action

The event concluded with a unified call for decisive action to build a rights-based approach to care, essential for accelerating progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

• Invest in Care: Mobilize bold public investment in care policies, services, and infrastructure as a catalyst for achieving SDG 1, SDG 5, SDG 8, and SDG 10.
• Engage in Social Dialogue: Utilize social dialogue between governments and social partners to design policies that ensure quality jobs and a fair redistribution of care responsibilities, contributing to SDG 8 and SDG 17.
• Ratify International Labour Standards: Encourage Member States to ratify care-related ILO Conventions (e.g., C183, C156, C149, C189) to ground national policies in a rights-based framework, supporting SDG 8 and SDG 16.
• Implement the 5R Framework: Adopt the framework to Recognize, Reduce, and Redistribute unpaid care work, while Rewarding and Representing paid care workers, as a comprehensive strategy for achieving SDG 5 and SDG 8.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

1. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   • The article extensively discusses how unpaid care responsibilities disproportionately affect women, leading to their exclusion from the labour market and leadership positions. It highlights the “5R Framework” which aims to “recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work” to achieve gender equality.

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • The article focuses on advancing “decent work in the care economy.” It discusses improving working conditions for care workers, creating jobs, and the economic benefits of investing in care, such as the potential to create 299 million jobs by 2035 and generate significant GDP returns.

3. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • By advocating for better working conditions and rights for care workers, who are often in vulnerable positions, and by aiming to redistribute unpaid care work that perpetuates gender inequality, the article addresses the reduction of inequalities.

4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • The article describes a multi-stakeholder approach, mentioning collaboration between governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, UN entities (ILO, OHCHR, UN Women), and civil society. It specifically references the “South-4-Care Platform” as an example of “South-South and Triangular Cooperation.”

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Under SDG 5 (Gender Equality)

   • Target 5.4: 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. The article directly supports this by calling for “Bold public investment in care” and implementing the “5R Framework to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work.”

2. Under SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

   • Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value. The article’s central theme is creating “decent work” and “quality jobs in the care sector.” It projects the creation of 299 million jobs by 2035, contributing to full and productive employment.
   • Target 8.8: Protect labour rights and promote safe and secure working environments for all workers. The call for Member States to ratify “care-related international labour standards, including Conventions 183, 156, 149 and 189” is a direct effort to protect the labour rights of care workers.

3. Under SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities)

   • Target 10.4: Adopt policies, especially fiscal, wage and social protection policies, and progressively achieve greater equality. The article’s call for “Bold public investment in care” and “social dialogue to design policies that deliver quality jobs” aligns with adopting fiscal and social policies to reduce inequality.

4. Under SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)

   • Target 17.9: Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries… including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation. The article explicitly mentions the launch of the “South-4-Care Platform… connecting countries through South-South and Triangular Cooperation” as a key action.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. For SDG 5, Target 5.4

   • Implied Indicator: Development of new standards for measuring care work. The article states the ILO is “advancing global statistical work to establish new standards for measuring care work,” which is a direct way to measure progress in recognizing and valuing unpaid care.

2. For SDG 8, Target 8.5

   • Specific Indicator: Number of jobs created in the care economy. The article provides a quantifiable projection: “the potential to create 299 million jobs by 2035.”
   • Specific Indicator: Return on investment in the care economy. The article mentions a projected “return of US$3.76 in global GDP for every dollar invested,” which measures the economic impact and growth.

3. For SDG 8, Target 8.8

   • Specific Indicator: Number of ratifications of relevant international labour standards. The article explicitly calls for the “Ratification by Member States of care-related international labour standards, including Conventions 183, 156, 149 and 189.” Tracking these ratifications serves as a clear indicator of progress.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Table

Source: miragenews.com