International Day of Care and Support Highlights Childcare

The United Nations General Assembly declared October 29 as the International Day of Care and Support in 2023. This day recognises the vital role of care policies in society. It focuses on unpaid care and domestic work, mostly done by women and girls. The day emphasises the need to value and support this invisible labour. Care work is crucial for children, older persons and people with disabilities. Yet it remains neglected in policy and economic planning.

Historical Development of Childcare in India

India’s childcare history dates back to the late 19th century with pioneers like Tarabai Modak and Gijubai Badheka. Their work introduced developmentally appropriate practices outside family care. After independence, modern childcare grew but mostly in private and voluntary sectors. Poor families often lacked access. The 1972 report led by Mina Swaminathan marked a shift towards social justice in childcare. This resulted in the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme in 1975. ICDS is one of the world’s largest early childhood programmes with 1.4 million Anganwadi centres serving 23 million children.

Challenges Faced by Childcare Workers

Care-workers remain underpaid and undervalued despite their crucial role. They earn wages similar to unskilled labourers. Their work is often seen as basic care, not professional teaching. This perception limits training, career growth and social security. Poor working conditions and lack of paid leave persist. The rapid expansion of ICDS has reduced focus on skill development. Recognition and better support for these workers are essential for quality childcare.

Impact of Climate Change on Care Needs

Climate change worsens challenges for poor women and children. Extreme weather events reduce access to health and nutrition services. Many men migrate to cities for work, leaving women with more care responsibilities. Urban migration raises living costs, forcing women into domestic work with little childcare support. Only 10% of Anganwadi centres function in urban areas. Women spend over seven hours daily on unpaid care compared to men’s two hours, contributing 15%-17% of GDP. Lack of care time correlates with high child undernutrition and stunting rates.

Recognition and Awards for Childcare Workers

Recently, India hosted the Childcare Champion Awards to honour excellence in childcare. The awards recognised workers, supervisors, local leaders, NGOs and funders. This event brought into light the professionalism and social impact of childcare workers. They break caste and class barriers and build trust with communities. Caring for children of migrant workers includes health advocacy and creating safe spaces. Workers play multiple roles from nurturing to monitoring child development.

Future Directions and Policy Needs

Childcare workers’ recognition is just the start. Improving wages, working conditions and training is critical. Care infrastructure needs strengthening, especially for children under three years. Only a fraction of approved crèches under the Palna Scheme are operational. Public investment in childcare is about 0.4% of GDP but needs to triple to 1%-1.5%, matching Scandinavian standards. Decentralised, convergent and collective approaches are vital to uphold women’s and children’s rights in care.

Questions for UPSC:

1. Taking example of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), discuss the role of government schemes in promoting early childhood development in India.
2. Examine the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, and suggest policy measures to mitigate these effects.
3. Analyse the challenges faced by informal sector workers in India. How can social security and labour rights be enhanced for these workers?
4. With suitable examples, discuss the importance of recognising unpaid care work in national economic policies and its implications for gender equality.

Answer Hints:

1. Taking example of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), discuss the role of government schemes in promoting early childhood development in India.

1. ICDS launched in 1975, is one of the world’s largest early childhood programmes with 1.4 million Anganwadi centres.
2. It addresses health, nutrition, and developmental needs of children, especially from poor and marginalized communities.
3. Serves over 23 million children, with plans to expand coverage to over 60 million by 2030.
4. Provides holistic services – food, immunization, preschool education, and health monitoring.
5. Government schemes like ICDS promote social justice by targeting vulnerable groups and reducing inequalities.
6. Challenges include underpaid workers and need for improved training and infrastructure for quality care.

2. Examine the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations, particularly women and children, and suggest policy measures to mitigate these effects.

1. Climate change causes extreme weather events reducing access to health, nutrition, and care services for poor women and children.
2. Male migration to urban areas increases women’s unpaid care burden and economic vulnerability.
3. Urban migration raises living costs, forcing women into informal domestic work with inadequate childcare support.
4. Women spend over seven hours daily on unpaid care; lack of care time links to child undernutrition and developmental risks.
5. Policy measures – expand quality childcare services, especially in urban areas; enhance social protection for women and children.
6. Integrate climate resilience in health, nutrition, and social policies to protect vulnerable groups.

3. Analyse the challenges faced by informal sector workers in India. How can social security and labour rights be enhanced for these workers?

1. Informal workers often face low wages, lack of job security, poor working conditions, and absence of social protection.
2. Childcare workers earn wages comparable to unskilled labour, with limited career growth and no paid leave.
3. Informal sector work is undervalued and unrecognized, limiting access to benefits and legal rights.
4. Enhancement requires formal recognition of informal workers as professionals with decent wages and benefits.
5. Implement social security schemes covering health, maternity, pensions, and paid leave for informal workers.
6. Promote collective bargaining, worker unions, and legal frameworks to safeguard labour rights.

4. With suitable examples, discuss the importance of recognising unpaid care work in national economic policies and its implications for gender equality.

1. Unpaid care work, mostly by women and girls, is invisible, undervalued, and excluded from GDP and policy planning.
2. Women spend over seven hours daily on unpaid care vs. men’s two hours, contributing 15%-17% of GDP in value.
3. Failure to recognise unpaid care work perpetuates gender inequality by limiting women’s economic participation.
4. Recognition leads to redistribution of care responsibilities, improving women’s access to education, employment, and health.
5. Example – International Day of Care and Support marks the need to value and support unpaid care work globally.
6. Incorporating unpaid care in policies enables social protection, better wages for care-workers, and gender-sensitive budgeting.