Kenya elevates care work as a public good, pledges bold action to empower caregivers

The work that sustains families and fuels communities — caring for children, the sick, and the elderly — took centre stage on Thursday as Kenya marked the International Day of Care and Support with a strong national commitment to make care a cornerstone of its economic and social transformation.

Held under the theme “Care and Support for All: Realising the Human Right of All Those Providing and Requiring Care and Support,” the event brought together government officials, development partners, and advocates to affirm that care is not merely a private duty but a public good essential to national progress.

Leading the commemoration, Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture and Children Services Hannah Wendot Cheptumo said that Care work is not just a private responsibility. It is a public good and a cornerstone of social and economic development.

She noted that while care sustains every stage of life, it remains undervalued and mostly unpaid — a burden that falls disproportionately on women and girls.

According to the 2021 Kenya Time Use Survey, women spend an average of four and a half hours daily on unpaid care and domestic work, compared to just one hour for men.

UN Women Country Representative Antonia Ngabala-Sodonon said the disparity mirrors a global pattern in which women and girls perform nearly 85 percent of unpaid care work — labour that could account for up to nine percent of global GDP if properly valued.

“This time poverty prevents women from pursuing education, entrepreneurship, and employment,” she said, urging urgent policy reform.

UNDP Representative Madelene Monoja emphasized that the 5:1 ratio between women and men in unpaid care work reflects a deeply entrenched imbalance limiting women’s economic participation and rights.

Principal Secretary for Gender Affairs and Affirmative Action Anne Wang’ombe, said “many women and girls are left with very little time to earn an income, go to school, or take up leadership roles. Recognizing caregivers today is crucial to correcting this historical injustice.”

At the centre of Kenya’s care agenda is the forthcoming National Care Policy 2025, a landmark framework awaiting Cabinet approval. CS Cheptumo described it as “a bold step towards an inclusive, gender-responsive, and well-coordinated care system.”

The policy is anchored on the internationally recognized Five Rs of Care — Recognize, Reduce, Redistribute, Reward, and Represent. It seeks to: Recognize both paid and unpaid care work, reduce the burden of unpaid care through better infrastructure and public services; redistribute responsibilities among men, women, families, and the state and also reward care workers through fair pay and protections and represent caregivers in decision-making spaces.

“Investing in care is smart economics,” Cheptumo said, noting that every shilling invested generates multiple returns in jobs, productivity, and community well-being. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) projects that implementing the policy could increase women’s employment by up to 60 percent.

Momentum is already building across counties. Under the Evidence-to-Policy for the Kenya Care Economy Project supported by UN Women that include: Kitui County which has allocated Sh 1.1 billion, Laikipia County has committed Sh  853 million, resulting in a 56 percent rise in women’s economic participation, and West Pokot County has also  allocated Sh 5 million for care facilities.

The private sector has also joined the movement, with 157 companies adopting gender-responsive workplace policies to support parents and caregivers.

A major milestone is expected in November 2025, when the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), with support from UN Women, will release the country’s first national report quantifying the economic value of unpaid care and domestic work — aligning national policy with Sustainable Development Goal Target 5.4.

The day’s event paid tribute to Kenya’s caregivers — the often-invisible backbone of families and communities. PS Wang’ombe appealed to men to become allies in care and challenge traditional stereotypes.

Closing the ceremony, CS Cheptumo addressed caregivers directly:

“Your work, often done in silence and sacrifice, makes it possible for others to live, learn, and prosper. Today, we see you. We value you. And we celebrate you.”

In a poignant reflection, PS Wang’ombe concluded:

“Care is the currency of a connected world. Let us make a wise investment.”

UNDP’s Monoja echoed the sentiment, noting that investing in care “enhances quality, productivity, dignity, and inclusion — and builds a more equitable, resilient, and sustainable society for all.”