International Labour Organization marks the International Day of Care and Support

29 October 2026

To mark the International Day of Care and Support, the International Labour Organization put out a statement from its Director-General on 29 October 2026. Care and support for children, for older people and for persons with disabilities is provided by millions of care workers, and the statement says that essential though this work is, their hours remain excessively long and their labour and social protection inadequate. Domestic workers, it notes, form a vital part of this workforce, are mostly women, and take home less than half what other employees earn on average. The Organization asks for investment in care and support that is comprehensive and rights-based and reaches everyone, and for every care worker to be properly protected and paid. Its 5R Framework for decent care work runs through the statement: recognise, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work, and reward care workers and give them representation. The closing appeal is for decent work to become a reality for all of them.