Care Work in India
Investing in Care
Why care is increasingly seen as essential infrastructure, what investments India could make, and a recap of the module.
Care is increasingly seen as infrastructure, like roads or power.
Why invest in care
- Children’s development in early years.
- Women’s employment.
- Job creation in care services.
- Dignity for older people.
Possible investments
- Full-day anganwadis and creches.
- Eldercare services and insurance.
- Training and fair pay for care workers.
- Legal protections for domestic workers.
- Paternity leave.
Module recap
- India has millions of domestic workers, mostly women.
- They lack a national law and many basic rights.
- Live-in migrants face exploitation risks.
- Apps formalise a small share of domestic work.
- Anganwadi and ASHA workers are paid honorariums.
- Maternity leave rose to 26 weeks in 2017; creches are mandated.
- Eldercare is shifting as families shrink.
- Home nursing demand is rising; India exports nurses.
- Unpaid care limits women’s jobs.
- Unpaid care is valuable but excluded from GDP.
- Other countries offer different care models.
The care district
A district expands creches, trains local women as eldercare aides and registers domestic workers for benefits. More women join the workforce, and care jobs grow.
Thinking care spending is only a cost
It builds human capital and creates jobs.
Key takeaways
- Care is increasingly seen as essential infrastructure.
- Investments include creches, eldercare and worker protections.
- Care investment raises women's employment and creates jobs.
- Recognising care work matters for policy.
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