Inequalities in care sector research highlighted at G20

Gender expert Dr Phoebe Kisubi Mbasalaki will present her research highighting the global gender inequalities in care work, at a G20 summit event this month in Brazil.

Dr Kisubi Mbasalaki, from the University of Essex’s Department of Sociology and Criminology, has co-authored a policy brief which addresses the unequal distribution of care work between men and women.

The report was accepted by the T20, which is a G20 engagement group that brings together think tanks and research centres from G20 members, guest countries and organisations.

Specifically, the report was accepted by the T20 taskforce which is putting together policy recommendation that focus on the first priority of Brazil’s G20 presidency - fighting inequalities, poverty and hunger.

Targeting politicians and governments, a side event has been organised at the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro to specifically look as the issues raised by the policy brief – titled ‘Addressing unequal distribution of care work through an intersectional lens’.

“Gender discrimination and inequality is a major issue in the care sector around the world and we need to fight this injustice,” explained Dr Kisubi Mbasalaki. “Care work is largely unpaid, with women bearing the brunt. We are really pleased that this important issue will be discussed at such an important global event.”

According to the International Labor Organization, on average, women worldwide perform 76.2% of all unpaid care work, spending 3.2 times more time on these tasks than men.

The COVID-19 pandemic also revealed the fragile state of the global care economy and highlighted the vital, yet unpaid roles, predominantly carried out by women.

Dr Kisubi Mbasalaki added: “Our policy brief also highlights that despite women carrying out most of care work, their representation in decision-making positions remains meagre.

“For instance, women make up 74% of healthcare workers in Latin America and the Caribbean, but men make up 75% of the decision-makers.”