The 2023 State of the World’s Fathers Report, titled “Centering Care in a World in Crisis,” explored the experiences and involvement in caregiving among 12,000 men and women, many of whom are parents, across 17 countries. The survey found that women perform between three and seven times more caregiving tasks than men in the global south, including household domestic work, and primarily focus on caring for children. The report revealed a remarkable appreciation for care among respondents, with "Love" being the most frequently mentioned word across all countries.
Most of the men involved in the survey said they were doing care work, and they were willing to do more. However, many barriers stood in their way, including societal norms and financial constraints. While the findings point to changes, it also found that the pace of change is far too slow.
Earlier this year, United Nations member states unanimously designated 29 October as the International Day of Care and Support, highlighting the urgent need to distribute caregiving responsibilities more equitably. Caring for another person can be a positive experience, fostering empathy and meaningful relationships. However, the unequal allocation of caregiving between men and women has long hindered women’s participation in paid work. In 2018, the International Labour Oganization estimated 606 million working-age women were not able to do so because of unpaid care work.
The State of the World’s Fathers report found that mothers still bore more responsibilities in care work, such as cleaning, physical and emotional childcare, cooking, and partner care. Men in countries as diverse as Argentina, Ireland, China, Croatia, and Rwanda also reported dedicating significant hours to various unpaid caregiving tasks within the household.
More than half of mothers and fathers considered political activism for care leave policies a priority. Women were more likely than men to prioritize care policies along with healthcare and gender equality policies. Concerns about the cost of living were prevalent among both genders, with slightly more women (58%) than men (53%) expressing this worry.
The study found a significant portion of individuals in all countries reported taking action to improve care policies. Policymakers have an essential role to play in reforms for enhanced parental leave. Better data enables better policies, and there also needs to be more accurate statistics on how many fathers take parental leave and how time spent on care work is distributed among men and women. Making it easier for men to share duties in the house is essential for countries to thrive.
