‘Caring is at the core of our society but it’s not valued’

The fact that caring duties fall disproportionately on the shoulders of women can lead to lifelong inequalities, argues the director of Bristol Women’s Voice (BWV).

The organisation is spearheading a campaign calling for the city to lead societal change and reverse the lack of investment in ‘the caring economy’.

“The majority of caring in society disproportionately falls to women, and often black, minoritised or migrant women, so it’s an intersectional issue but it’s very much a gendered one,” says Katy Taylor, the director of BWV.

“There is an army of women out there, doing all this work that keeps society going. This caring for each other is at the very core of our community and the core of our society and yet, it’s not seen, it’s not recognised and it’s certainly not valued.”

Katy Taylor argues caring is at the heart of our society and yet it is not valued or recognised – photo: Bristol Women’s Voice

BWV has joined with a number of organisations in the city, including Bristol Black Carers, Chinese Community Wellbeing Society, CoProduce Care, the Invisible Army, Local Data Project, WECIL and Bristol Women’s Commission, to launch the campaign calling for the caring economy to be valued and invested in.

The campaign asks for commitments from politicians and employers in the city to value and invest in the caring economy, which covers maternity, childcare, education, health and social care. It covers care workers and also those who undertake unpaid caring duties.

Katy says BWV is joining national calls for change but argues there are changes that can be made on a citywide level now.

“The economic divide, particularly if women have children, leads to lifelong inequality,” she says.

“It affects women’s poverty later in life, women’s mental health. This is a real gender equality issue.

“We’re asking local politicians what value have you placed on the caring economy and how do you ensure the commitment becomes a reality?”

https://twitter.com/BristolWV/status/1743210896040607906

The director of BWV says it is also a green issue, adding: “Investment in social care could create 2.7 times as many jobs as the same investment in construction and produce 30 per cent less greenhouse gas emissions.”

BWV is taking its campaign to Bristol City Council’s full council meeting on Tuesday.

The organisation and its collaborators will call on employers, the West of England Combined Authority (WECA), Bristol City Council and national government to adopt the caring economy as a strategic driver for investment across public services, training, skills, transport, sustainability and in tackling poverty and discrimination.

Bristol Women’s Voice is spearheading a campaign calling for the city to lead societal change and reverse the lack of investment in ‘the caring economy’ – photo: Invisible Army

Some of the campaign demands include:

• Ensuring Bristol’s public sector contracts include paid time allowances and flexible working conditions to support those with caring responsibilities.
• Ensuring childcare and social care are at the forefront of considerations in infrastructure projects.
• Lobbying local government to adopt the TUC strategy for the care workforce.
• Lobbying nationally for investment in free early education, childcare and social care.
• Ensuring all commissioned contracts ring fence money to allow for enhanced parental leave pay, sick pay, mental health, period and menopause days.

Main photo: Invisible Army

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