Gender inequality persists in the care sector, both formal and informal, where women continue to bear the majority of care responsibilities, often with lower wages and limited career opportunities. To bridge this persistent gender gap and improve conditions for those assisting people with disabilities, EQUAL-CARE aims at equal opportunities, decent working conditions and a better work-life balance.
The project focuses on two main areas:
- the formal care sector, for which practical tools, training programmes and awareness-raising campaigns will be developed, targeting work, HR and care operators. These actions aim to overcome gender stereotypes, promote inclusive leadership, strengthen the presence of women in decision-making roles and encourage greater participation of men in the care professions;
- informal caregivers: EQUAL-CARE will analyse the gender dynamics related to care work and promote a more equitable and conscious distribution of care tasks. It is intended to valorise the often invisible contribution of informal care and to stimulate a cultural change towards greater co-responsibility, especially on the part of men.
In addition, the project will elaborate policy recommendations addressed to public decision-makers, workers employers and stakeholders. The aim is to contribute to the construction of care systems that are more inclusive, equitable and better able to meet the needs of care providers and recipients.
EQUAL-CARE officially kicked off with a meeting held in March, in Palermo, which brought together 10 organisations from 8 countries. The meeting marked the start of a shared journey to promote gender equality in the care sector, with a specific focus on care for people with disabilities.
The consortium includes 3 major European networks: EASPD, Eurocarers and Social Employers, together with 7 organisations active at national level with a strong local impact: CESIE ETS, PSPC, MARGARITA, Tukena Foundation, Asociación FRESS, Chance B and IAT. Each partner brings complementary expertise in the fields of disability, care, gender equality and labour inclusion, helping to promote a multidisciplinary approach to systemic change.
In the initial phase, EQUAL-CARE will conduct surveys, interviews and focus groups with informal carers, professional operators and service providers in several European countries. The aim is to identify obstacles, needs and promising practices, which will feed into an Analysis Report on Gender Stereotypes in Care Work. This document will be the starting point for developing training and awareness-raising initiatives aimed at those working in the field of caring for people with disabilities – from management to staff.
Would you like to participate in our national survey on care and gender perceptions? Share your opinion by filling in this 10-minute survey!
About the project
EQUAL-CARE is a project funded by the European Union’s Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, aimed at addressing the gender gap in care work, both informal long-term care and formal care services, with a particular focus on the care of persons with disabilities.
PARTNERS
- EASPD (coordinator, Belgium)
- CESIE ETS (Italy)
- Eurocarers (Belgium)
- Associacion Fress (Spain)
- PSPC (Lithuania)
- Margarita Vocational Training Center (Greece)
- Social Employers (Belgium)
- IAT (Slovenia)
- TUKENA (Finland)
- Chance B (Austria)
For further information
Read more about EQUAL-CARE. For more information contact Nuria Casablanca: nuria.casablanca@cesie.org.
