The Distribution of Care Work between men and Women
In Irish society women continue to provide the majority of unpaid care work.
- Over 160,000 people provide unpaid care to friends or family with a long-term health problem or disability.
- More than 6 in every 10 carers are women.
- Most care is provided on a part-time (1-14 hours) or full time (43+ hours) basis. Two thirds of full time carers are women.
- The most unequal distribution of care work between women and men occurs during prime working years - between the ages of 30 to 64 - when careers are developed and consolidated. The pattern is most pronounced for full time carers: women comprise almost 70% of those in their thirties providing full time care.
We all lose out from an unfair sharing of caring. Men miss the opportunity to benefit from the rewards of providing care. Women sacrifice the opportunity to achieve economic independence, and to contribute to shaping the world we live in. Care is essential and integral to our lives, but unless care work is more equally shared between women and men, our society and economy will be the poorer for it.
Who Cares? Challenging the Myth about Gender and Care in Ireland, was published in October 2009 and provides clear evidence of the unequal distribution of care work and the impact on women's equality.
The NWCI also published 'Valuing Care Work' in January 2003 which describes the NWCI policy on care and provides international examples of care work is addressed in other European countries.