Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Manpower highlighted on Thursday the important role of the care economy and care workers as a support system for households and in helping the economic ecosystem to grow optimally.
Manpower Minister’s expert staff member, Aris Wahyudi, said that care work is mainly performed by women and often looked down upon as work that does not contribute significantly to the economy.
"Care work goes beyond just physical care. It encompasses housekeeping, childcare, elderly care, and other often-overlooked tasks that provide immense value in traditional economic assesments," he said at the launch of the 2025–2045 Care Economy Road Map on the same day.
In fact, care workers play a strategic role as a critical support system that allows households, social relations, and the economy to grow optimally, he added.
The 2025–2045 Care Economy Road Map is expected to provide guidelines for stakeholders from various sectors to bolster policies and regulations as well as improve access to quality care services.
The road map document is also expected to close the gender gap and help realize women's empowerment, considering that the care sector is still dominated by women.
The sector is considered to have potential, with data from the International Labour Organization (ILO) showing that investment in universal childcare and long-term care services in Indonesia could create almost 10.4 million jobs by 2035, with almost 4.3 million being direct childcare jobs.
Furthermore, almost 4.3 million jobs are direct long-term care jobs, while 1.7 million jobs are indirect jobs in the non-care sector.
“Based on the existing data, two-thirds of care work performed by women can be seen as a basis for inclusive and sustainable economic growth, not only from an economic perspective but also for generational and social sustainability,” he stated.