International day of care and support 2025
Care and Support for all: Realizing human rights of all those providing and requiring care and support
The International Day of Care and Support recognizes the essential role of care and support in sustaining economies and societies, and calls for investment in accessible, high-quality care systems and decent work for care workers. In 2025, under the theme “Care and support for all: human rights for all those providing and requiring care and support,” the ILO will mark the date gathering multilateral developments shaping the global care agenda and perspectives from governments, rights-holders and social partners, including solutions through global cooperation.
Hundreds of millions of women around the world remain excluded from the labour market because of unpaid care responsibilities, a gap that continues to perpetuate inequality and hold back economic progress. As demographic and climate pressures intensify, the need to invest in care and support systems has never been more urgent.
The International Labour Organization, together with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights and UN Women, in accordance with the GA resolution on International Day of Care and Support (A/RES/77/317), will observe the date with a hybrid event bringing together representatives of governments, employers’ and workers’ organizations, UN entities, and civil society. The discussion will highlight progress in advancing decent work in the care economy and connect global, regional and national efforts to transform care and support systems including high-level remarks on the impacts of unpaid care on women’s labour force participation and the human rights' perspectives relevant to provide and require care, care support and self-care.
ILO Director-General urges bold investment in the care economy
ILO Director-General Gilbert F. Houngbo highlights the care sector’s importance to families, communities, and economies, and calls on governments, employers, and workers to invest in quality, accessible care for all.
Agenda and Speakers
Moderator:
- Ms. Ana Moreno, Technical Secretariat, Global Alliance for Care
Opening Remarks:
- Mr. Dimiter Chalev, Chief, Equality and Non-Discrimination Branch, UN Human Rights
Segment 1: Outcomes of key global discussions
- Ms. Raquel Coello, Policy advisor Macroeconomics and Global lead on care, UN Women
- Mr. Jim Campbell, Director, Health Workforce, World Health Organization
- Ms. Ana Güezmes, Chief, Division for Gender Affairs, Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
- H.E. Mr. Marcos Gómez Martínez, Permanent Representative of Spain
Segment 2: Perspective of different stakeholders on progresses and gaps in 2025
- Ms. Haina Lu, Member, Working Group on Discrimination against Women and Girls
- Ms. Pamela Dale, Regional Advisor, Social Policy and Economic Analysis, UNICEF Europe and Central Asia
- Mr. Alejandro Bonilla Garcia, Chair, Chair of the NGO Committee on Ageing (Geneva) and Representative of the International Federation on Ageing (IFA) to the United Nations in Geneva
- Ms. Natalia Guala, Member, Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Ms. Maria Tsirantonaki, Policy Advisor, Equality department, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
- Ms. Louise Høj Larsen, Senior Adviser, Confederation of Danish Employers / International Organization of Employers (IOE)
Segment 3: Progress made at national and regional level and challenges faced
- H.E. Mr. Mxolisi Nkosi, Permanent Representative of South Africa
- H.E. Mrs. Francisca E. Méndez Escobar, Permanent Representative of Mexico
- H.E. Ms. Nahida Sobhan, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh
- H.E. Mr. Jamal Al Shanfari, Permanent Representative of the Sultanate of Oman
- H.E. Mr. Vladimir Cuc, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Moldova
Interventions from the floor
Closing Remarks:
- Ms. Sukti Dasgupta. Director, Conditions of Work and Equality Department, ILO
Related content
International Day of Care and Support
ILO Director-General urges bold investment in the care economy