Building a holistic care system for India

The editorial focuses on the gendered nature of the care economy, a crucial concept in understanding societal inequality. In India, deeply entrenched patriarchal norms assign the primary responsibility of caregiving (childcare, eldercare, domestic chores) to women. This unpaid care work is often invisible in formal economic calculations but is essential for the functioning of society. The lack of institutional support forces many women to drop out of the workforce, directly contributing to India's low Female Labour Force Participation Rate (FLFPR). Understanding this dynamic is key for UPSC, particularly for analyzing issues of gender equity and the challenges women face in accessing economic opportunities and achieving empowerment.

From an economic standpoint, the article argues for a paradigm shift: treating care as public infrastructure rather than solely a private responsibility. By investing in a holistic care system (like affordable crèches, public eldercare facilities), the state can reduce the opportunity cost for women, allowing them to participate in the formal economy. This is often termed the 'care dividend', where investments in care infrastructure not only generate employment in the care sector itself but also boost overall economic growth by increasing female workforce participation. This perspective aligns with SDG 5 (Gender Equality), specifically Target 5.4, which calls for recognizing and valuing unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services.

The governance challenge lies in transitioning from fragmented schemes to a cohesive policy framework. While India has initiatives like the Anganwadi system under the ICDS for early childhood care, these often suffer from underfunding and overworked frontline workers (ASHA and Anganwadi workers), who themselves are frequently underpaid and lack formal employee status. A holistic care system requires robust policy design, adequate public investment, and effective implementation at the grassroots level. This involves recognizing care work as formal employment, ensuring fair wages, and creating standardized regulations for care services, which is essential for inclusive growth and achieving broader developmental goals.