Accra: Momentum is building around advocacy on unpaid care work, driven predominantly by Women's Rights Organisations (WROs) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) advocating for legislation and policy changes.
According to Ghana News Agency, unpaid care work, traditionally defined as domestic work and household responsibilities often assigned to women and girls, is now being expanded to include care for children, especially those with disabilities, as well as care for persons with disabilities and the elderly. Dr. Faustina Obeng, a Researcher on Social Policies at the University of Ghana, highlighted these issues during a National Advocacy Strategy Workshop on unpaid care work organized by NETRIGHT with support from Alinea International. Dr. Obeng emphasized that although often undervalued, unpaid care work is a productive venture crucial to economic and social development.
Dr. Obeng pointed out that childbirth contributes to economic value, citing countries like Japan and Canada that have implemented immigration programs to counter declining populations. She noted that unpaid care work contributes significantly to the global GDP and has the potential to account for up to 30 percent of Ghana's GDP, equating to approximately 6.87 billion dollars for 2024. Recognizing and rewarding care work is vital to preventing a care deficit in the country.
The discussion also highlighted the essential role of care work for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. A mother of a child with cerebral palsy shared her experience, underscoring the need for policies and subsidies to support paid care work. She described the financial and emotional challenges of hiring a caregiver and called for government intervention in the form of facilities, subsidies, and tax reliefs to support families with children with disabilities.
Dr. Naazia Ibrahim, a lecturer at the University of Development Studies, noted that unpaid care work is essential for household stability and children's well-being, yet remains economically invisible and undervalued. Participants at the workshop urged the government to recognize care work as decent work and integrate it into national statistics through time-use surveys and gender-responsive budgeting.
Advocacy strategies included public education campaigns to shift cultural norms and promote shared caregiving responsibilities among men and women. Participants also called for policy reforms such as tax reliefs for primary caregivers, subsidies for care work, and the establishment of community-based respite care services.
Dr. Obeng emphasized the need to view care work not just as a burden but as a valuable economic activity. By recognizing and supporting caregivers, Ghana can unlock human potential, reduce poverty, and build a more equitable society. The workshop concluded with a call to action to make care work visible, valuable, and supported, recognizing it as an economic necessity that, when adequately supported, benefits the entire nation.