Fact Sheet: Six Things to Know about Care and Morocco's New National Strategy for the Promotion of the Care Economy and Care Work

Why care matters?

Care is essential to human well-being, gender equality and sustainable development. It includes the activities -paid and unpaid- that respond to people’s physical, psychological and social needs throughout the life cycle, including childcare, support to the elderly, to persons with disabilities and people living with illness, as well as household work that sustains families and communities.

Around the world, countries are rethinking how care is organized, valued and shared. In Morocco, the development of the National Strategy for the Promotion of the Care Economy and Care Work builds on several years of research, dialogue and technical support provided by UN Women and the International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with national institutions and stakeholders.

The Strategy aims to contribute to a more integrated, inclusive and resilient care system in Morocco that supports gender equality, decent work, social protection and sustainable development.

1. Care is the foundation of economies and societies

Care is the work that makes all other work possible. Yet, much of care work remains invisible, undervalued and carried out without pay — mainly by women.

According to UN Women’s data (2020), in the Arab States region women spend 4.7 times more time on unpaid care work than men — the highest female-to-male ratio of unpaid care work of any region in the world. In Morocco, women perform 88 per cent of unpaid care work, spending an average of 5 hours and 5 minutes per day on unpaid care activities, compared with 43 minutes for men.

Recognizing care as essential work is a key step towards building more equal societies and economies.

2. Morocco’s care agenda builds on years of evidence, dialogue and collaboration supported by UN Women in Morocco and across the Arab States region

Morocco’s National Care Economy Strategy builds on a multi-year national process of knowledge generation, policy dialogue and stakeholder engagement supported by UN Women to advance the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care work and promote women’s economic empowerment.

Since 2021, UN Women has worked with national partners to strengthen the evidence base on the care economy, support policy development and foster dialogue on how care can become a driver of gender equality, decent work and inclusive development. This work has included research on the economic potential of care investments, tools to inform public investment decisions, mapping of care actors and sectors, and support to national consultations and strategic reflection.

This process has been carried out in collaboration with key stakeholders, including government institutions, civil society organizations, and development partners, and also in alignment with other regional initiatives of UN Women that involved Morocco.

3. Investing in care is investing in gender equality, people, jobs and economic growth

Care should not be viewed only as a social expenditure. It is a strategic investment that can generate economic, social and gender equality benefits. Investments in quality care services can help reduce the unequal responsibility of unpaid care work carried mainly by women, expand women’s opportunities to participate in the labor market, create decent employment opportunities and strengthen social protection systems.

Evidence shows that investing in care generates a triple dividend:

• Better access to essential services that support people throughout the life course;
• Decent job creation through the expansion and professionalization of care services;
• Greater gender equality by enabling a more equal sharing of care responsibilities and supporting women’s economic empowerment.

According to ILO estimates, every dollar invested in the care sector can generate between 2.5 and 3.8 dollars in additional GDP.

In Morocco, an ambitious investment in the care economy has the potential to generate up to 1.26 million direct and indirect jobs by 2035[1], while contributing to more equal and inclusive economic growth.

4. Care is a shared responsibility

Morocco’s Strategy to Promote Care Economy and Care Work is advancing a transformative vision for the care economy that marks a paradigm shift in the country. This vision promotes a model based on shared responsibility between the State, families, communities, employers, social partners and the social and solidarity economy.

It also introduces a comprehensive approach in Morocco built around the 6R Framework:

• Recognize care as essential work.
• Reduce the disproportionate responsibility of indirect unpaid care work.
• Redistribute care more fairly across society.
• Reward care workers through decent work and social protection.
• Represent care workers by strengthening their voice and participation.
• Build Resilience through resourcing so the care system can withstand demographic, economic, health, and climate-related shocks.

By adding Resilience to the internationally recognized 6R Framework, Morocco brings an innovative contribution to the global conversation on care.

5. Care creates value today and opportunities for future generations

Morocco is working towards an ambitious and transformative vision for the care economy through 2035: an integrated, equitable, and sustainable care system that responds to people's needs throughout the life course, values care professions and advances gender equality.

It is fully aligned with Morocco's broader ambitions to strengthen the Social State, expand social protection, create decent jobs, and foster inclusive and sustainable development.

6. Morocco’s care strategy is part of global and regional efforts to transform care systems – supported by UN Women

The new National Care Economy Strategy of Morocco reflects a broader global and regional shift towards recognizing care as a driver of equality, decent work and inclusive growth. By placing care at the center of social and economic policies, Morocco is strengthening efforts to:

• Advance gender equality by addressing the unequal distribution of unpaid care work and creating conditions for women and men to participate more equally in economic and social life.
• Promote women’s economic empowerment by reducing barriers to women’s participation in the labour market and expanding access to quality care services.
• Create decent work opportunities through the professionalization and formalization of care jobs.
• Strengthen social protection by supporting more inclusive and accessible care systems for all.
• Building a more resilient society that can respond to demographic, economic, health and climate-related changes.

The Strategy contributes to Morocco’s broader efforts to advance inclusive and sustainable development and aligns with global commitments on gender equality, decent work and social protection.

Over the past decade, UN Women has cooperated with governments, civil society organizations, private sector, UN entities and other key stakeholders to transform care systems globally and in the Arab States region. Currently, UN Women is implementing two large regional programme in the Arab States: Dare to Care and Surging Women’s Employment Initiative.

In addition, TransformCare is a flagship global initiative of UN Women that addresses the undervaluing and unequal division of care work to improve the lives of women and girls, implemented in more than 50 countries across six regions.

KEY FACTS ABOUT CARE IN MOROCCO:

• 88% of unpaid care work is performed by women (High Commission for Planning, Morocco).
• Women spend 5 hours and5minutes (or 305 minutes) per day on unpaid care work; men spend 43 minutes (High Commission for Planning, Morocco).
• Women's labor force participation remains below 20% (High Commission for Planning, Morocco).
• Only 5% of childcare needs for children aged 0–3 are currently covered (Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, Morocco).
• Only 3% of the elderly have access to specialized facilities (Ministry of Solidarity, Social Integration and Family of Morocco).
• Morocco's care economy could generate up to 1.26 million direct and indirect jobs by 2035 (International Labor Organization).
• Every dollar invested in care can generate between 2.5 and 3.8 dollars in GDP (International Labor Organization).

[1] Job creation estimate and GDP multiplier are based on simulations conducted for Morocco using the ILO Care Policy Investment Simulator.