Care Economy and Climate Change

The care economy involves unpaid and paid work of caregiving and domestic labour, predominantly performed by women. In India, this sector is crucial for societal well-being yet remains undervalued and...

The care economy involves unpaid and paid work of caregiving and domestic labour, predominantly performed by women. In India, this sector is crucial for societal well-being yet remains undervalued and invisible in economic planning. The climate crisis, on the other hand, exacerbates gendered inequalities in caregiving responsibilities, as environmental degradation, resource scarcity, and climate-induced displacement place additional burdens on women.

Key intersections include:

1. Resource Access and Depletion: Women, as primary caregivers, are disproportionately affected by resource shortages (e.g., water, fuel) caused by climate change. Their time and energy spent on unpaid care work increase as resources become harder to access.
2. Health Impacts: Caregivers manage the health consequences of climate disasters, including malnutrition, waterborne diseases, and heat stress, often without adequate support systems.
3. Livelihoods and Economic Security: Women in the informal care sector are vulnerable to climate-related economic shocks. For instance, extreme weather events affect agricultural yields, where women contribute unpaid labor.
4. Policy Gaps: Climate and care policies in India largely operate in silos. An integrated approach could address gendered impacts and ensure sustainable, equitable solutions.

With Sona Mitra, we will discuss her experiences, nuances of the intersection and explore actionable pathways for policy integration, climate-resilient care systems, climate induced livelihood changes & their impact on care work, and the role of gender equity in climate adaptation.

About Sona Mitra, PhD:

Sona Mitra is the Director- Policy and Research at IWWAGE, an initiative of LEAD at Krea University. She has been working in the area of women, labour and development for the last one and a half decades. She has looked extensively into the reasons and solutions to address the low work participation rates of women in India, especially engaging with the care economy. She has also been technical adviser to several government and multilateral organisations and served on government committees, working with the government on impact evaluation of programmes on women and girls’ empowerment.

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