Roundtable on China Care Economy Policy Actions and International Cooperation

A recording of these remarks can be found on YouTube and Tencent.

Mr. Wang Jinzhao, Executive Vice President, the Center for International Knowledge on Development,

Dr. Srinivas Tata, Director of Social Development Division, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific,

Dr. Zhang Jin, Vice President, the Center for International Knowledge on Development,

Colleagues,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am honoured to address this assembly at the China National Consultation on Valuing and Investing in Unpaid Care and Domestic Work. I extend my appreciation to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, and the Center for International Knowledge on Development for co-hosting this vital event.

Unpaid care and domestic work, a cornerstone of our family and society welfare, constitute a substantial yet largely unaccounted contribution to our economy. The International Labor Organization estimates that the value of unpaid care and domestic work amounts to approximately 9 per cent of global GDP, equivalent to US$11 trillion in purchasing power parity. This underscores the immense economic potential of unpaid care work and its broader implications for our societies and economies.

Globally, women bear the primary responsibility for unpaid care work, accounting for 76.2 per cent. Women devote, on average, 3.2 times more time to unpaid care work than men. The winner of the 2023 Nobel Prize in Economics, Professor Claudia Goldin, uncovered that the differences in pay and labour force participation cannot be attributed to biological differences, but to the division of unpaid care and household work within families. This unequal distribution has deep-seated consequences, including pay gaps and disparities in labour force participation.

The COVID-19 pandemic has further magnified these disparities, as women shouldered an even greater share of unpaid care work, in part due to lockdowns and restrictions. This not only perpetuates traditional gender roles but also constrains the growth of a formalized care economy and hinders progress on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 5 on gender equality, as well as other SDGs related to poverty reduction, decent work, and economic growth.

In China, there are considerable disparities between men and women in terms of unpaid care and domestic work. China has a strong cultural tradition of defined gen­der roles, summed up by the saying, “Men go out to work while women look after the house”. According to the 2018 Time Use Survey of China, women spend nearly 2.3 hours more on unpaid care work and 1.4 hours more on household work per day than men. This gender gap hampers Chinese women’s economic empowerment and perpetuates traditional gender roles, affecting the inclusive and sustainable development of Chinese society.

Unpaid care work is an increasingly important issue for China’s economic and social development. The rapidly ageing population, coupled with the recent “three-child policy,” is expected to further amplify the burden of unpaid care work within families in China. This demographic shift underscores the growing necessity of formalizing the care economy and highlights the urgent need for innovative care solutions to address the changing needs of the population.

To address these challenges, the Government of China has developed various gender-responsive and care-sensitive policies, including measures to provide care services and maternity and paternity leave, strengthened labour regulations, and the establishment of pension systems. The current Chinese Women’s Development Programme (2021-2030) and the National Human Rights Action Plan (2021-2025) call for reducing the care burden on women. Furthermore, the government issued an Implementation Plan during the 14th Five-Year Plan, responding to increasing demand for care work. Despite this progress, the care work in China, suffers from a lack of benefits and protections, low wages, and exposure to physical, mental, and sometimes sexual harm, which are common issues shared by other countries around the world.

Therefore, this National Consultation is pivotal in the pursuit of gender equality and sustainable social and economic development, resonating not only within the boundaries of China but also across the globe. Unpaid care work is a linchpin in the context of both economic development and gender equality, reflecting the profound link between care, women’s empowerment, and sustainable development. Moreover, the care economy is intrinsically connected to broader socioeconomic trends, including population ageing and changes in the labour force.

It is of utmost importance that we address the disproportionate care burden, primarily borne by women. Equally important is rewarding paid care work, promoting decent work conditions for care providers, and generating employment opportunities for women. These measures will not only ease the care burden but also increase women’s labour force participation, contributing to economic resilience and growth, especially in the face of demographic changes.

As the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, has said, “We need to recognize, redistribute, and value the unpaid care work that is disproportionately done by women.”

Today’s consultation provides a unique opportunity for stakeholders to come together and address these pressing issues. Through knowledge sharing and discussions, we can foster a comprehensive understanding of the care economy, explore promising policy solutions, engage in collaborative efforts, and take steps toward meaningful change in supporting and accelerating the transformative process that addresses the issue of unpaid care and domestic work.

In closing, I want to emphasize the power of collective action and the urgency of our mission. Let us work to unlock the potential of the care economy, envision a more equitable future, and work collaboratively to transform our societies.

Thank you.