Recognise Reduce & Redistribute the unpaid care burden
Globally, two billion people, most of whom are women, work as full time unpaid carers, which prevents them from pursuing paid employment and has a direct impact on the economy. These disparities are only worsening with shifting demographics and a growing demand for not just childcare, but also eldercare. Lack of adequate care infrastructure is a significant barrier to women’s workforce participation, limiting their choice of work, remuneration and career progression. The lack of reliable, affordable child care, senior care or other forms of complex care including caring for people with disabilities, makes it hard for working caregivers—especially women—to go to work, be productive at work, and even stay in the workforce over the long term. This not only hurts their economic futures, but hurts businesses and the economy too. The care economy requires greater investment and new models and solutions to make it sustainable, while also enabling unpaid carers to participate in the broader workforce. Inadequate care systems are also one of the biggest obstacles to closing gender gap in the workforce and workplaces. Better functioning care systems that recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work, thereby facilitating women’s workforce participation and contributing to overall economic growth is not aspirational but essential.
strategic initiative
Reduce & Redistribute the Unpaid Care Burden
Shaping an equitable care economy
Care burden falls disproportionately on women, who make up close to 80% of unpaid caregivers and spend close to 40 hours per week providing family care. An inefficient and unorganised care economy, patchy care infrastructure and high cost of care continue to drive unpaid caregiving while improving longevity and other demographic transitions in increasing the burden of care with most caregivers having to care for children as well as seniors. the care economy is failing caregivers currently. opportunities to reduce this unpaid care burden have to be identified and potential solutions scaled. capital, talent, policy and conviction has to converge!
Building a care economy that works for all will require, closing a few gaps
every employed caregiver, primarily women, have an additional full time second job, one that takes upto 40 hours of their week. this work is unpaid and it involves caring for a loved one. with demographic transitions this need is increasing. but inadequate care systems will not solve it. In combination with other initiatives, Brijdd intends to undertake action under the following pathways to help shape an equitable care economy, that works for all
New Products & Services
facilitate development of products and services that alleviate the cost and burden of care on caregivers and make their lives easier
Close the policy gap on care
generating evidence & building capacities to facilitate development of care linked policies that help shape equitable workplaces and economies
Equitable participation in caregiving
Promote equitable participation in caregiving by employed caregivers through workplace solutions that facilitate reduction and redistribution of care including shifting of the gender linked care mindset
Our Work
helping shape a care system that values caregiving and helps caregivers reduce and redistribute the caregiving burden