The impact of care responsibilities on women’s labour force participation

Abstract

 Worldwide, in 2023, 748 million people aged 15 and above were outside the labour force due to care responsibilities, of which 708 million were women and 40 million were men.  Care responsibilities are the main barrier preventing women from participating in the labour force, while men usually cite other personal reasons such as education or illness.  The share of women outside the labour force due to care responsibilities is 45 percent globally, with the highest shares in Northern Africa (63 per cent) and the Arab States (59 per cent).  This includes two-thirds of, or 379 million, women of prime age (25-54 years) who are not in the labour force due to care responsibilities. This unequal distribution of unpaid care work between women and men hinders women's economic inclusion and effective labour market participation and widens gender gaps in the world of work.  Urgent action is needed to ensure decent work in the care economy and to promote decent work by ensuring access to care for all, by giving effect to the ILO Resolution concerning decent work and the care economy (2024).