{"id":146315,"date":"2025-06-05T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-05T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cesie.org\/?p=146315"},"modified":"2025-06-04T15:30:50","modified_gmt":"2025-06-04T13:30:50","slug":"care-divide-closing-gender-gaps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cesie.org\/en\/justice\/care-divide-closing-gender-gaps\/","title":{"rendered":"Recognising and supporting caregivers: closing gender gaps in care work for a more equal and fairer system"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Who cares for the caregivers?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a question that strikes at the heart of our societies, especially in an ageing Europe where care work<\/strong>, often invisible, still falls largely on women.<\/strong> In Italy, long-term informal care<\/strong>, typically unpaid and family-based, represents a silent yet powerful barrier not only to women\u2019s participation in the labour market, but also to their emotional and psychological well-being.<\/strong> The outcome? Interrupted careers, lower wages, reduced pensions, a growing sense of isolation and fatigue, and long-postponed personal aspirations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The European project Care-Divide<\/strong><\/a>, running in Italy, Romania, Greece, Spain, and Cyprus,<\/strong> addresses this challenge by promoting cultural and structural change in the realm of care. Through research, training, and awareness-raising, the project aims to dismantle gender stereotypes that still influence the distribution of care work, improve the quality of life of caregivers, and promote more inclusive workplace policies that support those who provide care.In March, the research phase<\/strong> began with a mapping of the phenomenon through data collection, experiences, and interviews with caregivers, employees, and employers. In Italy, CESIE ETS<\/a>, in collaboration with Confesercenti Palermo<\/a>, organized two meetings to explore local realities; one with employers and one with informal caregivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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First meeting<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The first encounter<\/strong>, held in March with 10 employers<\/strong>, revealed how companies struggle to meet the needs of employees with care responsibilities: the lack of regulatory tools and the absence of clear guidelines<\/strong> often lead to informal, and sometimes discriminatory, solutions. Participants also stressed the need for more training and practical tools,<\/strong> such as the Family Audit<\/em>,<\/a> which, though not widely known, holds great potential.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Meeting with employers held on 7 March 2025 at Confesercenti Palermo headquarters<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Second meeting\u00a0<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The second encounter<\/strong>, held in April with 10 informal caregivers<\/strong>, was organised in collaboration with La Grande Famiglia<\/em>,<\/a> a volunteer organisation that supports Alzheimer\u2019s patients and their families. The discussion brought to light the profound emotional burden<\/strong> of caregiving, compounded by a healthcare system perceived as inefficient<\/strong>,<\/strong> especially in Southern Italy. When services do exist, they are fragmented and unstable.<\/strong> There is a lack of legal recognition of the caregiver role<\/strong>, as well as insufficient psychological support and strong community networks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The conversations revealed how caregiving is often a deeply ambivalent experience<\/strong>: a source of love and meaning, but also of solitude and frustration.<\/strong> Reflections also emerged on gender roles:<\/strong> some men participants admitted they only approached caregiving after their partner\u2019s illness, coming to understand it as a shared skill rather than a \u201cwoman\u2019s duty\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The next phase involves the drafting of the Mapping the Gap<\/em><\/strong> report<\/em>, which will provide a transnational overview of the research activities conducted across all partner countries. The report will combine literature reviews\u00a0 with qualitative insights gathered from employers and caregivers, while also showcasing good practices to inform future policy recommendations. Building on these findings, the project will later release a training toolkit<\/em> <\/strong>to help companies turn key insights into practical change.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Care-Divide<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/a> continues its commitment to shift care from being a private, invisible burden to a shared and recognised social responsibility. <\/strong>Because supporting caregivers is not just a matter of justice, it\u2019s an investment in the well-being of society as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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About the project<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Care-Divide<\/strong><\/a><\/strong> is funded by the CERV Programme<\/strong> (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values), aiming to address the gender gap in informal long-term care<\/strong>, particularly elderly care, by supporting caregivers and promoting gender equality in both work and caregiving<\/strong> through collaboration among employers, policymakers, the media, and civil society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Partners<\/h3>\n\n\n\n