International Day of Care and Support
A global day recognizing unpaid care work and calling for a fairer distribution of caregiving responsibilities between genders.
Date29 October
TopicHuman Rights & Equality
Established2023
Ways to observe this day
- Recognize the efforts of caregivers in your family or community
- Help ease the caregiving burden for a family member
- Discuss fairer distribution of household care responsibilities among family members
- Share information about the importance of valuing unpaid care work
On July 24, 2023, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/77/317, designating October 29 as the International Day of Care and Support, one of the most recently established international days as part of UN efforts to address social justice and gender equality.
The day recognizes the value of care work, both paid, such as nurses and home caregivers, and unpaid, which is disproportionately performed by women within families, including caring for children, older relatives, and people with special needs. It highlights how this burden falls unevenly on women and girls, limiting their opportunities in education, employment, and economic participation.
The United Nations and women's organizations worldwide call for public policies that support balancing care responsibilities, such as paid parental leave, subsidized childcare, and legal and economic recognition of the value of domestic work, alongside awareness events that highlight caregivers' experiences.
