Invisible No More: Why Unpaid Care Must Be Recognised

Attending the Women Deliver 2026 Conference, which took place in Melbourne, Australia from 27-30 April 2026, was both an inspiring and transformative experience. The conference brought together global leaders, researchers, activists, policymakers, and grassroots organisations committed to advancing gender equality and social justice. Among the many urgent issues discussed, one message stood out clearly across conversations and sessions: care matters.

I had the privilege of participating in discussions focused on care systems, gender justice, and evidence-driven advocacy through my work with the Caregivers Empowerment Network Africa (CENetA) and as a Senior Lecturer at Kenyatta University, and as a member of the Africa Cares Together Community of Practice. My contribution centred on the realities of unpaid caregiving in Kenya and the importance of making care visible through research, policy, and collective action, linked to the project ‘Caring for Caregivers‘ project of the ARUA, University of Nairobi, as part of the Scaling Care Innovations in Africa initiative.

For many years, unpaid care work has remained largely invisible despite being the foundation upon which families, health systems, and economies function. Women continue to shoulder the greatest burden of caregiving responsibilities, often at the expense of their economic opportunities, physical health, mental wellbeing, and social participation. Yet this work remains undervalued and inadequately supported.

At the conference, I shared insights from the “Silent Pillars of Care” study conducted by the CENetA in 2024. The study examined the burdens and needs of unpaid family caregivers supporting patients with non-communicable diseases, older persons, and persons with disabilities in Kenya. The findings revealed the deeply gendered nature of caregiving, with approximately 86% of caregivers being women. Many caregivers reported financial strain, emotional exhaustion, reduced income opportunities, social isolation, and significant physical stress associated with prolonged caregiving responsibilities.

Evidence: Making the invisible visible to influence policy

One of the most important highlights from both my presentation and the broader conference discussions was the critical role of evidence through research in advancing the global care agenda. Research has the power to make invisible realities visible. When unpaid care work is undocumented, it is often dismissed as a private family matter. However, when evidence shows that the majority of caregivers are women facing financial strain, emotional exhaustion, reduced productivity, and limited social protection, care becomes recognised as a development, gender, labour, and public health issue requiring policy attention.

The Women Deliver conference reinforced the importance of generating context-specific data and translating evidence into advocacy, programming, and policy reform. Evidence not only validates lived experiences but also strengthens accountability and drives investment in inclusive and responsive care systems. Across multiple sessions, there was growing recognition that data and research are essential tools for influencing policy conversations and ensuring that caregivers are no longer invisible in national development agendas.

The discussions at Women Deliver reinforced the growing global recognition that unpaid care work must move from invisibility to policy priority. I was particularly encouraged by the shared commitment among participants to strengthen care systems through evidence generation, feminist advocacy, social protection mechanisms, and inclusive policy reforms. There was strong consensus that governments must invest intentionally in care infrastructure and recognise caregiving as essential work that contributes directly to sustainable development.

Care is not an isolated issue

Care is not merely a private family issue but a systems issue. When caregivers are unsupported, the effects are felt across health systems, labour markets, education systems, and community wellbeing. Care sustains societies and economies, yet those providing it often do so without recognition, training, social protection, or policy support.

Several conference sessions highlighted the interconnectedness of care with broader development challenges including gender equality, decent work, universal health coverage, disability inclusion, and economic justice. It is increasingly clear that care cannot be addressed in isolation; it intersects with almost every aspect of human development.

Across sessions, caregivers and advocates shared deeply personal stories that brought humanity and urgency to the statistics and evidence being presented. These conversations reminded me of the power of storytelling and lived experiences in influencing policy conversations. Data alone is not enough; evidence becomes powerful when combined with the voices and realities of those directly affected.

I was also encouraged by the increasing emphasis on collective responsibility in care work. Traditionally, caregiving has been framed as the responsibility of women and families. However, discussions at the conference challenged this perspective by emphasising that care must be recognised as a shared societal responsibility involving governments, communities, employers, institutions, and families alike.

Building partnerships for more just, inclusive and resilient societies

One particularly powerful reflection I carried home from Melbourne is this: when care remains invisible, inequality persists; But when care is measured, discussed, and prioritised, it becomes possible to build more just, inclusive, and resilient societies.

The conference provided valuable opportunities to build partnerships and strengthen networks with organisations and individuals working in related areas globally. These interactions reaffirmed the importance of cross-movement collaboration in advancing care advocacy. From feminist organisations to health researchers and disability rights advocates, there was a shared understanding that sustainable change requires solidarity and collective action.

Taking learnings forward in future care work

As I reflect on the experience, I am convinced more than ever that evidence-based advocacy must remain central to future care work. The findings from the Silent Pillars of Care study have already contributed to important national policy conversations in Kenya, including engagements around the development of care policies and caregiver support frameworks. However, much more remains to be done.

Moving forward, this experience will significantly influence my future work in several ways:

• It has strengthened my commitment to advancing research that makes caregiving visible and informs policy action. We need stronger local evidence on the realities of unpaid care work, particularly in African contexts where formal care systems are often limited.
• It is critical to amplify caregiver voices in policy spaces. Caregivers are not merely beneficiaries of interventions; they are critical stakeholders whose lived experiences should shape care policies and programmes.
• Interdisciplinary and cross-sector collaboration is more important than ever. Addressing care challenges requires partnerships across health, education, labour, gender, sport, and community development sectors.
• It is important to undertake advocacy that is both evidence-driven and human-centred. Care work is about people, dignity, wellbeing, and social justice. It is about recognising the invisible labour that sustains families and communities every day.

A call to action: invest in care

As we continue these conversations beyond Women Deliver 2026, my hope is that unpaid care work will no longer remain hidden in homes and communities without recognition or support. Instead, I hope we move toward societies where care is valued, caregivers are supported, and policies reflect the true importance of care in sustaining human development.

Care is not a side issue in development; instead, care is the foundation of resilient communities and inclusive societies. The time to invest in care is now.