Inclusive Access To Care Matters For Human Capital Development, Economic Growth, And Social Progress

Cultural practices, religious and societal norms have traditionally assigned a disproportionate share of the responsibility for and costs of child- and elder-care to women and girls. The evidence shows that women and girls perform roughly 75 percent of unpaid care work and account for 66 percent of paid caregivers globally. “Scaling up families’ access to quality childcare has the potential to unlock pathways out of poverty, build human capital and increase equity – all of which are cornerstones of a country’s economic growth and productivity.” [WBG, 2022]. Comprehensive investment in universal childcare is projected to generate 9 to 17 million jobs total, including 5 to 10 million jobs for women. To draw lessons for G20 countries, this brief juxtaposes the care economy in the United States – an advanced economy and in Nigeria – one of the larger African economies where women’s representation in the formal wage sector is limited to 6%. The authors conducted comparative analyses, drawing on research findings, case studies, and our advisory work to make policy and market-driven recommendations for tackling gender disparities in the care economy, improving families’ access to care resources, and increasing women’s economic participation by promoting changes in care norms and delivery systems, providing transformative benefits to vulnerable communities, generating inclusive economic growth, and promoting social progress.