WHO Data Shows Women Bear 76% Of Unpaid Healthcare Work

The comprehensive report titled "Fair share for health and care: gender and the undervaluation of health and care work" by the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals a troubling statistic: although women represent a significant proportion (67%) of the paid global health and care workforce, they are disproportionately burdened with unpaid care activities, accounting for a staggering 76% of such responsibilities. 

Jim Campbell, WHO Director for Health Workforce, emphasizes that the report calls for an imperative and collective action towards  ender-equitable investments in health and care work that would reset the value of health and care and drive fairer and more inclusive economies,"We are calling upon leaders, policymakers, and employers to action investment: it is time for a fair share for health and care.”

Women's Role in Health and Care Workforce

But before we move on, it is important to know what constitutes 'unpaid activities.' An increasingly significant portion of care is shouldered by unpaid caregivers, predominantly women, who dedicate substantial time and effort to providing assistance to family members or individuals in need, often goes unnoticed and undervalued and plays a pivotal role in sustaining the health and well-being of society

“Unpaid health care is a gender issue, an equity issue, and a human rights issue,” highlights Professor Pat Armstrong in her seminal 2013 article titled Unpaid Health Care Work: An Indicator of Equity. Published by the Pan American Health Organization under the aegis of the World Health Organization.

The gendered nature of caregiving, predominantly shouldered by women, contributes to its undervaluation in the labor market. As a consequence, roles traditionally associated with women are systematically paid less and characterized by inferior working conditions. This devaluation of care work not only undermines the economic standing of women but also perpetuates a cycle of inequality within the health and care sector.

Consequences of Undervaluation

The repercussions of undervaluing women's caregiving roles extend far beyond mere economic implications. By relegating caregiving primarily to women and subsequently devaluing this essential work, society inadvertently perpetuates lower wages, subpar working conditions, and diminished productivity within the health and care sector. Chronic underinvestment in health and care exacerbates these issues, culminating in a global crisis of care that compromises both the well-being of caregivers and the quality of services provided.

Decades of chronic underinvestment in health and care work have precipitated a looming global crisis of care. The stagnation in progress towards achieving universal health coverage has left a staggering 4.5 billion individuals devoid of comprehensive access to essential health services. With the burden of unpaid care work likely to intensify, the strain on caregivers and the quality of services is poised to exacerbate  further.

Policy Recommendations

The report presents a series of policy levers aimed at rectifying the undervaluation of health and care work:

• Improving Working Conditions: Emphasizing the enhancement of working conditions across all facets of health and care work, particularly in occupations predominantly occupied by women.

• Equitable Inclusion in the Labor Force: Advocating for the equitable inclusion of women in the paid labor force to mitigate gender disparities.

• Equal Pay for Equal Work: Calling for the rectification of wage differentials and ensuring equal pay for work of equal value within the health and care workforce.

• Addressing the Gender Gap in Care: Prioritizing the provision of quality care work and safeguarding the rights and well-being of caregivers.

• Enhancing Data Collection: Urging the comprehensive inclusion and valuation of all forms of health and care work in national statistics.

• Investing in Public Health Systems: Highlighting the critical importance of robust investments in public health systems to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.

While these revelations are alarming, WHO's proposed solution, as articulated at the outset, emphasizes gender-equitable investment, aiming to ensure that women and young girls aspiring to pursue careers in healthcare are not dissuaded and that they are provided with an environment that is equally supportive and conducive to their success as their male counterparts.