Care tasks are essential for the functioning of our societies. In Latin America, care responsibilities disproportionately fall on women, who dedicate over half of their time to unpaid work, whereas in some countries, men spend less than a third of their time on the same (ECLAC). Despite the fact that it represents between 18.8% and 26.8% of GDP in the region, women with caregiving responsibilities face limitations in accessing the labor market and generating their own income.
In this context marked by profound cultural and demographic changes, new caregiving needs have arisen that require companies and workplaces to adopt gender inclusive policies.
To respond to this demand, the “Companies that care” training program, an initiative of UNICEF and the Latin American Team for Justice and Gender (ELA), was launched with the objective to boost more equitable work environments through the implementation of care-focused policies and practices.
The program, aimed at companies in Argentina, is based on the idea that “investing in care is good for people and good for business”. The participating companies will have access to training sessions, panel discussions, and continuous learning tools on how to implement innovative care strategies in the workplace.
Although unpaid domestic and care work represents 16% of Argentina’s GDP, positioning it as the country’s largest industry (ILO – (International Labour Organization), the right to care has not been a priority issue on the business agenda. This initiative seeks to bring together committed companies and boost good practices to support their staff in their roles as mothers, fathers, and caregivers.
The first workshop, “The ABCs of Care”, was held on June 27 in a virtual format, addressing important topics, including the main policies to be promoted by the private sector, joint corporate responsibility, and associated benefits. Georgia Rothe, Gender, Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion Coordinator at Pro Mujer, will contribute to the program by facilitating the workshop “Strategic Thinking, Concrete Policies, and Impact Evaluation” on October 10.
Pro Mujer joins this valuable initiative to disseminate and boost the training cycles, aligning with our mission to support women in Latin America in reaching their full potential. By promoting equality and shared responsibility in caregiving within the workplace, it opens opportunities for the economic and social empowerment of women.
