Mapping of Trends and Opportunities in Care Work in Europe and Central Asia

Care work, encompassing both paid and unpaid labour, plays a critical role in supporting individuals, families and societies by providing essential physical, emotional and social support. Despite its foundational importance in societal and economic well-being, care work remains undervalued, largely invisible in economic measurements and disproportionately borne by women.

This mapping exercise aims to establish a comprehensive evidence base of the best practices of UN Women’s work on Care in ECA Region and at informing future initiatives in the care economy within the region.

The mapping includes following countries of UN Women presence or interest: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kosovo¹, Kyrgyzstan, North Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Serbia, Tajikistan, Türkiye, Ukraine and Uzbekistan.

It aims to analyse existing normative and policy frameworks to identify legislative gaps, assess the current state of paid and unpaid care work, and evaluate the availability and quality of care services. It also seeks to identify key stakeholders across public, private, international and civil society sectors, document best practices and innovative care models, and map UN Women’s engagement in care work across its normative, coordination and operational mandates.

The exercise aimed to provide strategic recommendations to support future initiatives, including the integration of the global TransformCare initiative into regional contexts.

^{1 All references to Kosovo shall be understood in the context of UN Security Council resolution 1244 (1999).}