Gender equality: Economic value of care from the perspective of the applicable EU funds: An exploration of an EU strategy towards valuing the care economy

This Report was commissioned by the Dept of Citizens' Rights and Constitutional Affairs at the request of the FEMM Committee of the European Parliament. It explores the impact of COVID-19 on the EU care economy, the gendered nature of care work and its continued reliance on unpaid or low-paid work of women. Issues of valuing and measuring care are examined selected countries are examined with different systems of care provision. The Report concludes that despite the recognition of the centrality of the care economy during the pandemic, the establishment of a new highly significant EU funding mechanism (the Recovery and Resilience Fund, RRF) is focused largely on digital and green investments, paying only marginal attention to gender equality and the care economy.