The Global Alliance for Care work has led to achievements and advances in care policies and narratives
Two years after the Global Alliance for Care launch, important achievements in care were presented. It was during the event "Moving towards a New Care Paradigm through Collective Action: A High-Level, Interactive and Multi-Stakeholder Dialogue" at #UNGA78.
- In two years, the Global Alliance for Care has brought together more than 150 member organizations.
- As of July 2023, the Alliance participated in 17 global events, promoting human rights associated with care and the principle of co-responsibility.
Since its launch, the Global Alliance for Care has tirelessly worked to prioritize care on global, regional, and national agendas. With effective policies and a progressive narrative, the Alliance has played a strategic role in placing care at the heart of long-term sustainable development strategies. Achievements, examples of progress, and challenges regarding the design and implementation of care policies and comprehensive care systems were shared at the event “Moving Towards a New Care Paradigm through Collective Action: A High-level, Interactive, Multi-stakeholder Dialogue”, held on September 19 in the framework of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Co-convened by the National Institute of Women (INMUJERES) of Mexico, UN Women, and the Global Alliance for Care (GAC), the event aimed to highlight the Alliance's role in promoting the care agenda two years after its launch.
As the first global, multi-stakeholder, and multi-sectoral community to position and drive the care agenda on a global, regional, and national levels, the GAC was launched by INMUJERES and UN Women during the Equality Generation Forum in Mexico City in 2021. To date, the Alliance's membership includes more than 150 organizations representing national and local governments, international and civil society, the private sector, philanthropy, academia, and trade unions from all over the world.
During the opening segment, Nadine Gasman, President INMUJERES, celebrated these two years of the Alliance. “We are gathered in a spirit of celebration, to highlight the influence of the Global Alliance for Care two years after its launch. The GAC was sponsored by INMUJERES and UN Women during the Generation Equality Forum and has positioned itself as an international reference for collaboration and co-creation of our members’ care agendas which seek to close gender gaps”. She also added: “GAC sprung from the need to position care as a public good. Hence, we brought it to global debate as an issue that requires multistakeholder action to overcome challenges collectively and to set up a plan to recognize, reduce, redistribute, reward, and represent unpaid and paid care work. In this way, this dialogue today and GAC represent an opportunity to integrate transformative care actions, to share, inspire and accompany the many sectors that contribute to this important activity. From the National Institute for Women of the Government of Mexico we have the firm conviction and commitment to advance the feminist care agenda, without leaving anyone behind or left out”.
Likewise, María Noel Vaeza, Executive of the Equality Generation Project, a.i. participated in the event on behalf of UN Women, emphasizing that "Care transcends economics; it's a societal imperative and a cultural transformation. In promoting economic justice, the Global Alliance for Care promotes investment in care infrastructure and the creation of decent jobs that will contribute to advancing women’s economic autonomy. The Global Alliance for Care has made significant strides to redefine care as a societal shift. This was evident at the Regional Conference of Women of Latin America and the Caribbean held in Argentina in November 2022, in which member states agreed to advance towards a care society based on the institutionalization of co-responsibility in care. With the drive of the Ministers, the achievement of the Global Alliance for Care is a testament to our collective commitment to care. This is more than policy – this is the Business case for care," Vaeza commented.
The GAC is steadfast in its mission to address the unequal distribution of care work and tackle its implications for the lives of women and girls worldwide. By recognizing the co-responsibility of all stakeholders in providing care, the Alliance is paving the way towards societies in which just compensation and adequate representation for caregivers become a reality. In a world grappling with heightened gender disparities due to COVID-19, the Alliance has positioned itself as a champion for gender-responsive, sustainable, and equitable care solutions.
In this respect, Emilienne de León, Technical Secretary of the GAC, was clear about the Alliance´s enormous potential. “The Global Alliance for Care possesses a unique potential as the first multistakeholder global platform to advance the care agenda. Through the Alliance, all of the sectors and constituencies which have been shaping the discussion on care can congregate and learn from each other, advocate to position the issue of care in key fora, as well as work towards a cultural change on the matter.”
The GAC has reached significant milestones over the past two years. It has spurred transformative change by advocating for actions that address the unequal distribution of care work, which inhibits women's social and professional growth globally.
GAC's influence has burgeoned, marked by its tangible actions and an expanded membership across various regions, including Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and North Africa. By July 2023, the Alliance's voice resonated at 17 global events, unwaveringly promoting the human rights aspects of care and the principle of co-responsibility. Additionally, the GAC has prioritized amplifying women's voices, putting at the center those who provide and receive care, and crafting strategies rooted in the insights and needs of these individuals.
Impressively, the Alliance boasts a diverse membership of 150 stakeholders from various regions, institutions, and organizations. This includes national governments, sub-national governments, civil society organizations, private and philanthropic entities, international organizations, union associations, and academic institutions. This diverse composition enriches the perspectives on care, driving strategies for a more inclusive society that champions gender equality and human rights.
The High-Level event was moderated by Jemimah Njuki, Chief of Economic Empowerment Section at UN Women, and had two parts. The first one, “GACs Journey: Achievements from 2021-2023: Insights from the Membership Representatives focused on Key Achievements” had Ambassador Carmen Squeff (Permanent Representative of the Government of Argentina to the United Nations), Paola Simonetti (Director Equality Department, International Trade Union Confederation - ITUC), Ghada Abdel Tawab (Global Senior Program Officer, Future of Workers Program, Ford Foundation-International), Emilia Saiz, Secretary General (United Cities and Local Governments-UCLG), Violet Shivutse (Chair, Huairou Commission), and Riziki Pembe, Minister for Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children-Zanzibar of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The second panel, “From Progress to Scalable Impact” was made up of Inken Denker (Head of Division, Feminist Development Policy, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Government of Germany), Jamille Bigio (Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment, U.S. Agency for International Development -USAID), Elizabeth Lule (Executive Director, Early Childhood Development Action Networks-ECDAN). The Honorable Adnan Delić (Minister of Labor and Social Policy, Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina) sent a video recorded message. This panel was moderated by Emilienne de León, Technical Secretary of the GAC.
The closing session was addressed by Nadine Gasman and Sarah E. Hendriks, Interim Deputy Executive Director of Policy, Programs, Civil Society, and Intergovernmental Support at UN Women.
The discussion was an excellent opportunity to reinforce GAC’s capacities for promoting knowledge sharing, inspiring innovation in the care sector, and reshaping societal views on care.
This event can be accessed through UN Web TV: https://media.un.org/en/asset/k1i/k1i5v3l4c8
