UN Women’s Feminist Economists Taskforce - 1 Year Results - Care Economy

Care work is the backbone of households and societies, yet it often remains invisible, unpaid, and undervalued. In West and Central Africa, women spend between 3 to 5 times more time on unpaid care work than men, including fetching water, collecting firewood, doing laundry, preparing food, and caring for children, the sick, older persons, and people with disability.

In the region, unlocking women’s full participation in the labor market by addressing the unequal distribution of care responsibilities could boost GDP by an estimated 6–10%. In today’s climate of economic austerity and limited fiscal space, this represents a powerful, untapped opportunity for inclusive growth and resilience.

To help countries seize this opportunity, UN Women launched the Feminist Economists Taskforce in 2024—a regional flagship initiative aimed at driving normative change through stronger, gender-responsive macroeconomic policies and practices. This brief highlights the Taskforce’s achievements in transforming care systems during its first phase of implementation.