Building the care society is a vital transformation for substantive equality, sustainable development and peace. This paradigm prioritizes the sustainability of life and of the planet, and recognizes care as a need, a right, a public good and as crucial work to boost the economy. It also establishes a synergistic interdependence among people, the environment, and economic and social development.

Governments now have a prime opportunity to drive this transformation and address a growing care crisis —exacerbated by population ageing and climate change effects— that far surpasses existing capacities of services, infrastructure and people to provide care.

This document examines scenarios for achieving the care society and proposes how to effect this change, with assessments and recommendations that underscore governance, political economy and social dialogue, along with cultural change, measurement and financing, as key elements to bring about vital transformations for sustainable development with gender equality.