ILO, UN Women and OHCHR Call for Global Investment in Care and Support Systems

The International Labour Organization (ILO), in collaboration with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and UN Women, commemorated the International Day of Care and Support 2025 with a high-level global event at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Held under the theme "Care and Support for All: Human Rights for All Those Providing and Requiring Care and Support," the gathering brought together governments, social partners, UN agencies, and civil society to reaffirm that care work lies at the heart of human rights, gender equality, and sustainable development.

Recognizing Care as the Foundation of Society and the Economy

At the opening, speakers underscored that care work—both paid and unpaid—is the invisible backbone of economies and societies, making all other forms of work possible. Despite its importance, care work remains undervalued and underpaid, with hundreds of millions of women globally excluded from formal employment due to unpaid care responsibilities.

"Care is not charity—it is a cornerstone of social justice," said one delegate. "When we invest in care, we invest in humanity."

The care economy has gained growing recognition as a key driver of economic and social progress. According to ILO estimates, investing in care systems could create nearly 299 million jobs worldwide by 2035, while generating $3.76 in global GDP for every $1 invested.

The event highlighted that expanding access to care and support systems—including childcare, eldercare, health, and disability services—not only supports those who provide and receive care but also strengthens economies and communities.

Global Dialogue on Policy, Investment, and Cooperation

Delegates from South Africa, Mexico, Bangladesh, and Moldova joined representatives from UN entities, employers' and workers' organizations, and international civil society networks to share experiences in financing and building resilient care systems.

Panel discussions focused on:

• Integrating care into climate, migration, and humanitarian agendas;

• Mobilizing public investment and international financing for care infrastructure;

• Strengthening South–South and Triangular Cooperation through knowledge-sharing platforms; and

• Improving working conditions for care and domestic workers, ensuring fair wages and social protection.

Speakers emphasized the need for gender-, age-, and disability-responsive approaches to care policy that recognize the diverse needs of caregivers and recipients.

Social Partners Advocate for Decent Work and Dignity in Care

The dialogue featured contributions from leading employers' and workers' organizations, underscoring their central role in shaping the future of the care economy.

Representing the International Organisation of Employers (IOE), Ms. Louise Høj Larsen, Senior Adviser at the Confederation of Danish Employers, noted:

"The care sector is one of the fastest-growing pillars of the global economy, but to deliver quality care, we must invest in upskilling and reskilling. Employers' organizations are working to professionalize care work, expand access to training, and promote caregivers' wellbeing. Quality outcomes depend on quality jobs."

From the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Maria Tsirantonaki emphasized care as both a human right and an economic necessity.

"Care is a public good and the foundation of social justice, inclusive growth, and sustainable development," she said. "The ITUC and its affiliates are committed to advancing care systems that ensure decent work and gender equality, guided by the ILO's Resolution on Decent Work and the Care Economy."

ILO Leads the Global Care Agenda

Following the adoption of the 2024 ILO Resolution on Decent Work and the Care Economy, the organization has made rapid progress in implementing its 2024–2030 Plan of Action, which seeks to strengthen global cooperation, build policy coherence, and set measurable standards for care work.

Recent milestones include:

• The launch of the South-4-Care Platform in Doha, Qatar (September 2025), connecting countries through South–South and Triangular Cooperation;

• Preparations for a Tripartite Meeting of Experts on Paternity and Parental Protection to address care leave policies;

• Progress in developing new statistical standards for measuring paid and unpaid care work; and

• Expansion of capacity-building programs to help governments and social partners implement care policies in line with ILO Conventions and Recommendations.

"The ILO's leadership in advancing decent work in the care economy is now firmly established," said Ms. Sukti Dasgupta, Director of the ILO's Conditions of Work and Equality Department, during the closing session. "In 2025, we've seen remarkable advances—but progress is not enough. We must act decisively on three fronts: invest in care, engage in social dialogue, and implement care policies grounded in international labour standards."

Investing in Care: A Call to Action

The event concluded with a joint call by ILO, UN Women, and OHCHR for governments, employers, and workers to take bold, coordinated action to strengthen care and support systems globally.

The call emphasized four priorities:

1. Invest in care as a catalyst for sustainable development. Governments were urged to make public investment in care a national priority, recognizing its multiplier effects on employment, health, and gender equality.

2. Engage social partners in shaping care policies. Social dialogue is essential to design care systems that create quality jobs, guarantee fair pay, and balance responsibilities between women and men.

3. Ratify international labour standards related to care. Countries were encouraged to ratify and implement ILO Conventions No. 183 (Maternity Protection), No. 156 (Workers with Family Responsibilities), No. 149 (Nursing Personnel), and No. 189 (Domestic Workers), which together form the legal foundation of a rights-based approach to care.

4. Apply the ILO's 5R Framework for Decent Care Work. The framework urges countries to Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward, and Represent care work — a comprehensive approach to valuing both paid and unpaid care, improving working conditions, and ensuring the voices of care workers are heard.

Building a Rights-Based Future for Care

The event marked the second observance of the International Day of Care and Support, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2023. The observance aims to highlight the centrality of care in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

In 2025, as the world continues to face complex social and economic challenges — from climate-related disasters to migration and demographic shifts — the care economy offers a transformative pathway toward more inclusive and equitable societies.

"Care is at the intersection of human rights, gender equality, and economic resilience," said Dasgupta. "Our task now is to ensure that every person who gives or receives care does so with dignity, protection, and opportunity."

With the momentum generated by the Geneva event, the ILO and its partners will continue to champion the global care agenda, promoting investment, cooperation, and accountability to build a future where care and support are recognized as universal human rights and shared responsibilities.