Executive Summary

Leveraging Care Economy Investments to Unlock Economic Development and Foster Women’s Economic Empowerment in G20 Economies examines how strategic investments in the care economy can reduce gender inequalities, strengthen labour markets, and support inclusive economic growth across G20 countries. The report highlights that women globally spend nearly three times more time on unpaid care work than men, with even wider disparities in several emerging economies, limiting women’s access to education, employment, and economic opportunities.

The policy brief identifies unpaid care work as a major structural barrier to women’s labour force participation and economic empowerment. The unequal distribution of domestic and caregiving responsibilities creates “time poverty” for women, restricts career progression, and contributes to lower wages and informal employment. The report further notes that inadequate recognition and valuation of care work perpetuate labour market failures and reinforce intergenerational cycles of inequality and dependency.

The study emphasizes that investments in care infrastructure and services can generate significant economic and social returns. According to estimates referenced in the report, investments in universal childcare and long-term care services could create nearly 299 million jobs globally by 2035, with a majority of these opportunities benefiting women. The report also highlights that closing gender employment gaps could substantially increase GDP across G20 economies while improving social protection and workforce productivity.

Recognizing the G20’s commitment to reducing gender gaps in labour force participation, the report proposes a comprehensive framework for strengthening care economies through coordinated public and private action. Key recommendations include expanding paid parental leave policies, providing financial incentives and tax benefits for employers and families, increasing investments in childcare and eldercare infrastructure, leveraging public-private partnerships, and supporting community-based care organisations. These interventions aim to redistribute unpaid care responsibilities, reduce barriers to women’s workforce participation, and build resilient care systems.

The report also stresses the importance of formalising care work and improving labour standards for care workers. Recommendations include strengthening legal protections, introducing skill development and certification systems, improving wages and working conditions, and creating standardised regulatory frameworks to professionalise care occupations. The study highlights how enhanced training and formalisation can improve service quality while generating decent employment opportunities in the care sector.

Drawing on case studies from India, Australia, Sweden, Germany, and Argentina, the report showcases successful models of childcare support, parental leave systems, community-based care services, and investments in care infrastructure. These examples demonstrate how targeted policy interventions can improve women’s economic participation, support families, and contribute to broader social and economic development goals.