UN Women Expert’s Take: Care Video Explainer Series with Professor Mahalia Jackman

Care services create paid jobs and are also fundamental to parents, particularly women’s participation in the workforce.

Through the Build Back Equal Project (BBE) in Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines funded in part by Global Affairs Canada, UN Women is asking the questions: (1) Are there sufficient affordable care services according to the demand for such and (2) Can governments afford not to invest in care services – given the Care Sector’s impact on national economies?

Hear from expert - UN Women Consultant, Mahalia Jackman, Professor of Economics and Inclusive Development, University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus on:

Explainer Video 1 - What is the care economy (paid and unpaid care work)?

• Care is an independent human right.
• Private care services priced out of the reach of many families.
• UN Women asks the question - are there enough affordable and attainable care services in select Caribbean countries.

Explainer Video 2 – Why Governments should invest in designing Care Systems and Economies

• Caribbean economies are small open economies with limited budget space.
• Govt plays a key role in financing and legislation and the care economy
• Care as a public good with shared responsibility.

Explainer Video 3 – How the Economy Benefits from Care Work

• The question really is not whether Governments can afford care, the point is, whether they can afford not to provide it.

Explainer Video 4 – How Universal Access to Care Services can Correct Gender Inequalities

• Defining universal access to care services
• How universal care access can eliminate Gender Inequalities.

Explainer Video 5 – Research Care Recommendations for the BBE Countries

• Countries already have publicly funded childcare services but they cannot meet the demand
• Creating care allowances - novel recommendations Caribbean governments can adopt.

For more information on UN Women research on Care Systems in the Caribbean, access our research documents here.