By Melanie Rubi Santos Sanchez 

Economist, ESE-IPN

Care work is essential for sustaining life and social well-being. In Mexico City, the “Public Care System” has recently been proposed as a public policy that will serve to address the needs of dependent people; that is, people who offer or require direct care in an intensive and extensive manner, such as infants, the elderly, and people with disabilities. However, despite the advances announced by the new government, significant omissions persist, especially with regard to housework or indirect unpaid care work. In addition, current public policy does not promote an effective redistribution of care work or adequately recognize housework, thereby perpetuating gender and socioeconomic inequalities.

Advances and omissions of the Public Care System in Mexico City

The Public Care System of Mexico City was presented with the aim of making caregivers visible and supporting them, considering the vulnerable position they are in. Among the initiatives announced are the creation of laundries, new Child Development Centers and community kitchens, among other services. The intention is to provide alternatives that alleviate the burden of care and offer support to families. The document in which the Public Care System is presented is even a guide for those who are beginning their path in training for care work.

However, the proposals have limitations. Although they focus on the provision of services promoted by the capital government in a solidarity economy scheme, they do not comprehensively address the redistribution of care work within households nor do they fully recognize the value of unpaid, much less paid, household work. The lack of policies that promote co-responsibility between the State, the market and all family members perpetuates the work overload that falls mainly on women.

The great absence of housework in care policy

Housework, which includes activities such as general and deep cleaning, cooking, and caring for family members, whether paid or unpaid in one's own or other people's homes, is historically invisible and undervalued work. In Mexico, it is estimated that unpaid housework alone accounts for around 261% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Despite its economic and social importance, current public policies do not adequately recognize or redistribute this work. The Public Care System of Mexico City focuses on external services, without incorporating strategies that value and compensate unpaid household work. It does not consider people who offer housework or care work services. This omission perpetuates gender inequality, since it is mainly women who assume these responsibilities, and it also leaves aside people who have found a livelihood in this sector.

The challenge of redistributing care for young people

We, the youth, are the main actors and actresses in promoting social and cultural changes. However, without the necessary knowledge as well as public policies focused on care work, our development is negatively impacted. The overload of care responsibilities can limit our educational, employment and social participation opportunities. If the alternative that the Government offers us so that women can enter the labor market is to continue having double workloads, except now, at a lower cost, it seems to me that we still have a long way to go so that the realities of all the people who make up this City are considered.

It is essential that we as young people get involved in the discussion and formulation of care policies that promote an equal distribution of care work. This includes advocating for the recognition of all types of care and, therefore, the implementation of measures that promote co-responsibility between genders and generations. As proposed by youth and feminist organizations, with the creation of educational programs that raise awareness about the importance of care work and promote an equal distribution of this work.

Conclusion

Although the new government of Mexico City, within the framework of the Care System, has implemented initiatives recognizing that care work is real and allows our society to function, these are still insufficient to comprehensively address the redistribution of care work and the recognition of household work. It is imperative that policies be developed that promote co-responsibility between the State, the market, families and the community, recognizing and valuing paid and unpaid household work. In Mexico, 1.94 million people are dedicated to housework. If the Public Care System is a reference for what could be implemented at the national level, that is 1.94 million people who, in addition to at least 96.5% working in the informal sector, could lose their jobs if they are not considered within the public policy proposal on care work. It is important to recognize that we as young people have the opportunity and responsibility to drive these changes, advocating for a more equal and fair society in terms of gender and care.

References

Inter-American Development Bank. (2024, October 29). IDB supports Mexico in its national care policy. Retrieved from https://www.iadb.org/en/news/idb-supports-mexico-in-its-national-care-policy

Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean. (2022). Care systems in Latin America and the Caribbean: challenges and opportunities. Retrieved from https://genero.congresocdmx.gob.mx/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/CELIG-Estudio-Cuidados-Ago-2023.pdf

Political Expansion. (2024, October 29). CDMX presents its Care System: they will allocate 10,000 million pesos annually. Retrieved from https://politica.expansion.mx/cdmx/2024/10/29/la-cdmx-presenta-su-sistema-de-cuidados-destinaran-10-000-mdp-atérmino0

Simone de Beauvoir Leadership Institute. (2019). Towards a care system for Mexico City. Retrieved from https://ilsb.org.mx/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/hacia-un-sistema-de-cuidados.pdf

Ministry of Economy. (2024). Domestic Workers: Salaries, diversity, industries and labor informality. Data Mexico. Retrieved from https://www.economia.gob.mx/datamexico/es/profile/occupation/trabajadores-domesticos-9611