Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work

The report provides a global overview of national laws and practices regarding care policies, namely maternity protection, paternity, parental and other care-related leave policies, as well as childcare and long-term care services.

Based on an ILO legal survey of 185 countries, the report reviews progress made around the world over the past decade while assessing the persisting and significant legal gaps that translate into a lack of protection and support for millions of workers with family responsibilities across the world. It takes the requirements and principles of relevant international labour standards – in particular the ILO Conventions and Recommendations on maternity protection and workers with family responsibilities – as the benchmark. The report pays attention to the most frequently excluded workers, such as the self-employed, workers in the informal economy, migrants, and adoptive and LGBTQI+ parents. It concludes with a call for action to invest in a transformative package of care policies that is central to the broader international agenda on investing in the care economy – a breakthrough pathway for building a better and more gender equal world of work.

Additional details

Author(s)

  • Laura Addati, Umberto Cattaneo and Emanuela Pozzan

References

  • ISBN: 9789220366783

Related content

International Women’s Day 2022: Investing in care for all
Placeholder image

International Women’s Day 2022: Investing in care for all

Greater investment in care could create almost 300 million jobs
Placeholder image

Care at work

Greater investment in care could create almost 300 million jobs

Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work
Placeholder image

Executive summary

Care at work: Investing in care leave and services for a more gender equal world of work

Greater investment in care services could create more than 10 million jobs in Indonesia
Placeholder image

Launch of the ILO Report on Care at Work:

Greater investment in care services could create more than 10 million jobs in Indonesia