Brazil’s National Care Policy Seeks to Reduce the Unpaid Burden on Women Caregivers
Brazil’s government is advancing a new approach to care work through its National Care Policy, an initiative designed to reduce the disproportionate burden carried by millions of women and expand their opportunities for education, employment, and economic independence.
According to Laís Abramo, National Secretary for Care and Family at the Ministry of Development and Social Assistance, Family and Fight Against Hunger, the policy represents a structural shift in how Brazil addresses care responsibilities, moving them from a private burden largely shouldered by women to a shared social responsibility supported by public policy.
The discussion comes as debates continue across Brazil over reducing working hours and ending the country’s traditional six-days-on, one-day-off work schedule. Abramo argues that many women face an even more demanding reality.
“Women’s schedules are often not six days of work followed by one day off, but seven days with no days off at all,” she asserted. “Paid work may end, but unpaid care responsibilities continue every day.”
Research from Brazil’s National Household Sample Survey (PNAD) shows that approximately 6 million women dedicate 40 hours or more each week to unpaid care work. In addition to formal employment, many women remain primarily responsible for caring for children, elderly relatives, and people with disabilities, while also managing household tasks.
The data also highlights the gender and racial dimensions of care work in Brazil. Women account for 75 percent of workers in the care sector, while Black women represent 45 percent of those workers. Domestic workers make up roughly one-quarter of the workforce.
Government officials say the unequal distribution of care responsibilities can limit women’s economic autonomy and increase social vulnerability. Abramo noted that financial dependence can make it more difficult for women experiencing domestic violence to leave abusive situations.
“The lack of economic autonomy weakens women considerably,” she said. “Many are unable to escape situations of violence because they have no income, no support network, and nowhere to go.”
As Brazil’s population ages and family sizes continue to shrink, demand for care services is expected to grow. While the country already has extensive public systems in health, education, and social assistance, officials acknowledge that existing services are insufficient to meet future needs.
The National Care Policy seeks to address this challenge by focusing not only on those who require care but also on the people who provide it.
Among the first initiatives introduced under the policy are “Cuidotecas,” or Care Centers, which provide supervised spaces for children between the ages of three and twelve outside normal school hours, including evenings, weekends, and school vacations. The centers are designed to support mothers who are studying, working, or participating in professional training programs.
Officials say the program helps remove a significant barrier that often prevents women from completing educational courses or pursuing employment opportunities.
According to Abramo, guaranteeing the right to receive care must also include guaranteeing the right to personal development and opportunity.
“The National Care Policy does not reinforce the idea that a woman’s place is at home providing care,” she stated. “It recognizes that women have the right to care for their families, but they also have the right to study, work, participate in public life, and pursue the future they choose.”
The Brazilian government hopes the policy will become a cornerstone of broader efforts to promote gender equality, strengthen social protection, and ensure that care work is recognized as a shared responsibility rather than an invisible burden carried primarily by women.
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