Resources

With the aim of contributing to a better understanding of this phenomenon in Argentina and making it more visible, ELA and UNICEF have developed this qualitative research. Through the voices of adolescents, the study sheds light on how they take on caregiving responsibilities and how these experiences impact both their present lives and their future prospects. The findings highlight gender, class, and family composition as key variables shaping diverse caregiving experiences.

The evidence shows that, in the absence of sufficient and adequate care policies, families provide care as best they can, whenever they can. It is therefore urgent for States to implement measures to address and transform this reality.

This research offers strategic tools for a deeper understanding of the phenomenon, thereby supporting the design of public policies. The organisation of care is not a private matter of individuals or families, but a collective responsibility of society as a whole. Without adequate policies, fundamental rights are violated, inequality gaps—particularly those related to gender and class—are widened, and the future of society is compromised.