On 30 October 2024, the UN Human Rights Regional Office for Europe, in partnership with UN Women, the ILO, with the support of the Government of Germany and the Global Alliance of Care, convened a virtual event commemorating the International Day of Care and Support. The event brought together policymakers and practitioners from the UN, EU, States and civil society to discuss the vital role of care and support systems in building sustainable and resilient societies and economies.

Care and support is essential for thriving and inclusive societies, with women and girls in all their diversity as key contributors. Globally, women spend an average of 4 hours and 25 minutes daily on unpaid care work, significantly more than men*. Meanwhile, many persons with disabilities and older persons are denied care and support that respects their agency, autonomy and dignity and enables them to be included in the community. This has become even more evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, which highlighted the challenges faced by caregivers, particularly women, persons with disabilities, and older persons in care facilities.

« There is now recognition by the UN and by States that we need to shift to care and support systems that are gender/disability/age-responsive and that fully respect the human rights of both paid and unpaid caregivers as well as the rights of receivers of care and support » said UN Human Rights Acting Regional Representative for Europe, Elena Kountouri Tapiero.

Panelists urged for strategic investments in the care and support economy and reinforced multi-sectoral partnerships to foster an intersectional approach to care and support, taking into account the rights of both caregivers and care receivers. To this end, calls were made for the establishment of a multi-stakeholder platform on care and support at European level. The importance of integrating the voices of all stakeholders of care and support in decision-making, including paid and unpaid carers and receivers of care, was also reiterated.

« Care and support is not about charity. It is about human rights – the human rights of both those who give, and those who receive care and support » emphasized Elena Kountouri Tapiero.

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* UN Women and UN DESA (2023). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2023