Vendors Initiative for Social and Economic Transformation (VISET) today joins the world in commemorating the International Day of Care. This day is set aside to recognise the crucial role of both paid and unpaid care and home-based work, advocates for gender equality, and calls for stronger public investments in resilient care systems.
In Zimbabwe, according to the VISET Time Use Survey of 2024, women use approximately 16 hours of the day on care duties, whilst they also perform roughly 76% of all unpaid care work globally, which limits their economic participation and career opportunities.
In the Paid Care Sector, women make up about 67% of the paid health and care workforce, yet face persistent pay gaps and high levels of informal, unregulated employment. According to the Domestic Workers Association of Zimbabwe, domestic workers are vulnerable to long working hours, inconsistent pay days, lack job descriptions, and are at times subjected to sexual harassment.
VISET has been partnering with women’s rights organisations and stakeholders in promoting decent working conditions for caregivers, ensuring social protection policies, and redistributing care responsibilities across society and government.
It is VISET’s belief that the implementation of the National Formalisation Strategy of the Informal Sector is an ideal window of opportunity to ensure that greater attention is paid towards recognition of care work, reduction, rewarding, and redistribution, in order to enhance the ability of women in the advancement of their economic opportunities and earning abilities.
We pay tribute to the women’s rights organisations that have been leading the charge to ensure the country’s legislature gives recognition to this work.
VISET pledges to continue the work we have been undertaking, and collaborating with all stakeholders to ensure Recognition, Reduction, Redistribution, Representation, and Rewarding of Unpaid Care and Domestic Work in this lifetime! #InternatioalDayOfCareAndSupport #VoicesofCare #Oct29 #CareAndSupportDay
