23 October 2013: Governments should recognize unpaid care work as a human rights issue, according to the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty, Magdalena Sepúlveda. Sepúlveda presented her report, titled ‘Extreme poverty and human rights’ (A/68/293), to the UN General Assembly’s (UNGA) Third Committee in New York, US, on 23 October 2013.

The report argues that unequal care responsibilities represent a barrier to gender equality and women’s human rights and can contribute to women’s poverty. It reviews the impact of unpaid care on the right to work, education, health, social security, enjoyment of scientific progress and participation. The report finds that women’s lack of participation in policy-making on agriculture, food and water results in misinformed decision-making, contributing to the invisibility of care work in economic calculations and public policy.

The amount and intensity of unpaid care increases with poverty and social exclusion, according to the report, which also notes lack of adequate infrastructure, limited access to public services and lack of resources to pay for time-saving technology contribute to this poverty. For instance, poor women and girls in rural areas spend large amounts of time collecting fuel and water for household use due to lack of water, sanitation and energy facilities.

The report recommends that, inter alia, States position care as a collective, social responsibility and improve women’s access to infrastructure and public services, with a focus on measures most accessible for poor women, such as improved and sustainable access to water.

On the post-2015 development agenda, the report recommends that States take unpaid care work into account in development planning, and that goals and targets recognize unpaid care work and its impacts on women’s human rights and human development opportunities.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Executive Director of UN Women, expressed support for the report’s recommendations, including addressing women’s unpaid care work in the post-2015 development agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). [UN Press Release] [OHCHR Press Release] [UN Women Press Release] [Publication: Report of the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights]