But Only If We Treat It as an Economy
There is a growing recognition across global policy and economic forums that the systems we have long treated as secondary are, in fact, central. Care — the work of raising children, supporting families, maintaining health, and sustaining daily life — has historically sat outside the core of economic design. It has been assumed, relied upon, and consistently delivered, but rarely structured as a driver of growth. That assumption is now being challenged.
A recent body of work emerging from the World Economic Forum makes the shift explicit. Inadequate care systems are not just a social issue; they are one of the largest barriers to closing gender gaps in labour markets and improving economic participation globally. The implications of this are significant. If care systems are not functioning, economies are not functioning at full capacity.
The dominant narrative has long separated economic productivity from care. Work that generates income is counted. Work that sustains the conditions for that income to be generated is not. This distinction has shaped labour markets, policy priorities and investment decisions. It has also created a structural imbalance that is now becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
The data illustrates the scale of this imbalance. Globally, 76% of unpaid care work is performed by women. This is not a marginal distribution; it is a systemic pattern. At the same time, sectors that are paid to deliver care — healthcare, childcare, education — remain among the lowest paid and least structurally supported, despite being essential to the functioning of society.
This creates a reinforcing cycle. Women are overrepresented in unpaid care, limiting their ability to participate in the workforce. When they do enter paid care roles, those roles are undervalued. This contributes to persistent gender gaps in income, progression and leadership, which in turn affects broader economic performance.
The World Economic Forum’s analysis introduces a different framing. Investment in the care economy is not simply a corrective measure. It is a growth strategy. When care systems are strengthened — through better wages, improved conditions, accessible infrastructure and coordinated policy — they enable greater workforce participation, increase productivity and generate employment at scale.
This is where the concept of a “virtuous cycle” becomes relevant.
Investing in care creates immediate improvements in access and quality. This allows more individuals, particularly women, to participate in paid work. Increased participation drives economic activity, which in turn supports further investment in care systems. Over time, the system stabilises. Participation becomes more consistent. Outcomes improve across multiple sectors simultaneously.
This is not theoretical. It is observable in the projections. The Forum highlights that strengthening care systems can unlock significant economic value, from increased workforce participation to long-term gains in education, health and productivity. The benefits extend beyond individuals to entire economies.
The challenge is that this cycle does not initiate on its own. It requires deliberate investment and structural change.
The Creative Women’s Association approaches this through the lens of cultural work. Care is not treated as a separate or supplementary system. It is understood as part of the broader cultural infrastructure that allows societies to function. The transmission of knowledge, the maintenance of practice and the organisation of daily life are all forms of labour that produce cumulative value over time.
This reframing aligns directly with the emerging global perspective. If care is recognised as economic activity, it must be supported as such. This includes not only funding and policy reform, but also the development of systems that can measure and track participation within the care economy.
This is where the current gap becomes visible. Much of the work that underpins care systems remains unmeasured. It is performed consistently, but not formally accounted for. As a result, it does not contribute to economic indicators in a way that reflects its true impact.
The consequence is a form of systemic underinvestment. When value is not measured, it is not prioritised. When it is not prioritised, the systems responsible for delivering that value remain fragile.
This is why recognition alone is insufficient. Structural integration is required. Care must be embedded within economic frameworks as a core component, not an externality.
The World Economic Forum’s analysis emphasises the need for collaboration across government, business and community sectors to achieve this. Care systems are complex, spanning multiple domains and requiring coordinated approaches. No single sector can address the gap in isolation.
This aligns with the broader direction of Cultural Work Theory. If culture is the system through which societies organise knowledge, behaviour and participation, then care is one of its primary mechanisms. It is how societies reproduce capability, maintain continuity and support participation across generations.
This places care at the centre of economic design, rather than at its margins.
The shift from viewing care as a cost to recognising it as an investment is therefore not simply a policy adjustment. It is a redefinition of how economies function. It acknowledges that the conditions required for productivity must themselves be supported if productivity is to be sustained.
The question is no longer whether care matters. The data is clear.
The question is whether systems are prepared to invest in it at the level required to unlock its full potential.
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