The Heart of Humanity: Celebrating the Global Power of Care
A World that Cares Thrives
On October 29 each year, we observe the International Day of Care and Support, a dedicated moment to shine a light on the invisible yet indispensable force at the heart of our societies: care. Declared by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2023, this observance recognizes both paid and unpaid care work, and calls us all to invest in systems that uplift caregivers and those they care for.
Care is more than a private act of compassion: it is a public good, a key pillar of decent work and a foundation for sustainable societies. According to the UN, “care work, both paid and unpaid, is crucial to the future of decent work. … If not adequately addressed, current deficits in care service provision and its quality will create a severe and unsustainable global care crisis and increase gender inequalities at work.”
What Is the Day for?
This International Day invites us to recognize several inter-linked goals:
- Value the care economy: How? By acknowledging the full weight of care work, both the household tasks (feeding a baby, nursing a partner, cleaning, cooking) and formal paid care services that sustain families and communities.
- Promote gender equality: Globally, women do around 76% of unpaid care work – approximately 3.2 times more than men.
- Build resilient and inclusive systems: The UN calls for “robust, resilient and gender-responsive, disability-inclusive and age-sensitive care and support systems.”
- Ensure decent work for care workers: Formalizing and improving conditions for paid care and domestic work is vital for social justice and economic inclusion.
Why It’s Important
- Societies literally depend on it. Everyone, at some point in life, will need care: as a child, during illness or injury, in older age, or when living with a disability. These needs are growing globally.
- Care has economic leverage. Investing in accessible, quality care not only supports human dignity, it generates jobs, boosts labor participation (especially among women), and contributes to growth. One analysis shows that implementing universal childcare and long-term care services globally could create nearly 300 million jobs by 2035.
- It tackles inequality. When care burdens fall disproportionately on women and remain undervalued, the result is lower pay, fewer opportunities, and persistent gender gaps in employment and earnings. Recognizing and redistributing both paid and unpaid care is a path toward more equitable outcomes.
- It underpins sustainable development. Strong care systems support health, education, economic security, and intergenerational well-being: all central to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
What Can You Do?
- Acknowledge and thank caregivers in your life: family members, neighbors, friends, or paid professionals.
- Examine how you and others share care responsibilities in your home or community, and explore ways to make them more equitable.
- Advocate with your workplace or local community for family-friendly policies (flexible hours, paid leave) and support for formal caregivers.
- Learn and raise awareness: share articles, host conversation-events, or use #InvestInCare (a growing hashtag around this observance).
A Positive Vision for the Future
Imagine a world that celebrates care, respects and protects caregivers, and recognizes the work that keeps us all functioning. When care is properly valued, entire societies flourish: children grow, older people live with dignity, caregivers participate fully in the workforce, economies thrive, and burdens are shared. That is the promise behind this day. As we mark the International Day of Care and Support, let’s commit to making that promise real.
