Domestic and care work

Domestic and care work encompasses those fundamental activities of sustaining, well-being and reproducing life, as well as producing essential elements for its maintenance (meals, clothing, hygiene, etc.). These are everyday tasks, without which life could not exist.

This set of tasks has traditionally been carried out by women, almost alone, and has not been valued socially or economically. Although men are increasingly participating in it, for now they still do so in much lower proportions than women.

Social perceptions of care work

Caregiving is often invisible and the tasks it involves are relegated to the home, where they can be ignored or undervalued. This lack of recognition makes it difficult to share it, to dignify it as work and to pay attention to the living conditions of the people who carry it out.

Informal care needs and networks

In general, women are more accustomed to talking about the issues that concern them than men. One reason may be related to the fact that even today it is considered “unmasculine” to ask for help. In addition, women interact more in local networks, such as their neighborhood, which makes it easier for them to share their emotions and needs.

Care as unpaid work

In 21st century Barcelona, ​​unpaid care work still falls mostly on women. As it is not shared among household members, nor is it sufficiently attended to by public institutions, it often becomes an overload and causes inequalities.

Care as paid work

Many households outsource cleaning and care work, which is mainly carried out by women, usually migrants, and often in precarious jobs. As a result, in recent decades what are called global care chains have emerged: these migrant women have left their dependent family members in their country of origin, often also in the care of other women, to come here to work caring for other people.