2022-03-09-国际劳工组织-工作中的护理_加强护理假和护理服务的投资_打造一个更加性别平等的劳动世界_16页_612kb

Care at Work Report Summary

This report by the International Labour Organization (ILO) examines global laws and practices on care leave and services to advance gender equality in the workplace. Based on an analysis of 185 countries over the past decade, it assesses progress toward complying with ILO standards, identifies persistent legal gaps, and highlights excluded workers. The report concludes with a call for transformative investments in care policies.

Executive Summary

The report provides a comprehensive overview of care policies, focusing on maternity protection, paternity, parental leave, breastfeeding breaks, and childcare/long-term care services. It evaluates adherence to ILO conventions and notes variations in national laws, revealing that while progress has been made in areas like maternity leave duration and cash benefits, significant gaps remain. Key findings include the exclusion of vulnerable groups and slow reform rates, necessitating urgent action.

Key Findings

• Progress in Maternity Leave: 120 countries ensure at least 14 weeks of paid maternity leave by 2021, with a global average of 18 weeks paid. However, 64 countries lack compliance, affecting 649 million potential mothers. Cash benefits are inadequate in many places, and employer liability is common in 45 countries.
• Paternity Leave: Coverage is limited to 115 countries, with average durations low (about 1.3 weeks). Gaps in protection and non-transferable rights affect many potential fathers.
• Parental and Other Leave: Parental leave is available in 68 countries, but duration and payment vary widely. Breastfeeding breaks are not always statutory, missing in more than 130 countries. Long-term care leave is statutory in only 55 countries, and access is limited.
• Excluded Workers: Millions of workers, including self-employed, informal economy, migrant, adoptive, and LGBTQI+ parents, face barriers to care policies.
• Gender Equality: Despite advancements, the gender leave gap of 16.7 weeks persists. ILO standards emphasize public good aspects, and legal reforms often lag.
• Economic and Social Benefits: Transformative investments could create up to 300 million jobs by 2035, reduce poverty, and enhance workforce participation.

Call to Action

The report urges governments and stakeholders to invest in comprehensive care policy packages incorporating time off, income security, employment rights, and services. This is framed as central to achieving gender equality, decent work, and sustainable development, with an investment case supporting universal access by 2030–2035.

Conclusion

Care policies are essential for gender equality and human rights, requiring transformative, rights-based approaches. Accelerated investment can fill legal and practical gaps, benefiting both individuals and societies globally.