This debate and the developing conversation on the construction of care systems as a way to advance in new gender relations to address the unequal and unfair distribution of care, was part of the contents that more than 40 women trade unionists from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru of the Public Services International, held on December 13, 14 and 15 in Lima, Peru in the framework of the FÓRSA project, where they concluded that for such progress "the organized workers of public services are essential".

The objective of the meeting was to deepen the 5Rs of the Global Care Manifesto, proposed by the world trade union organizations to overcome the care crisis in the midst of the pandemic; to make a comparative analysis of the experiences of women workers in the public sector in their respective countries, to understand the role to be played and the actions to be taken by the trade unions, the State and the Women's Committees in the reconstruction of the Social Organization of Care. And finally, to evaluate the 3 years of the project.

PSI and Care Work

Reyna Concha, coordinator of the PSI Women's Committee in Peru and leader of the Federation Center Union of Social Security Health Workers (FED-CUT) - which served as the venue for the event - was responsible for opening the day by stressing the importance for Latin American women to incorporate the issue of care into the trade union agenda.

Similarly, the Vice-President of the PSI Regional Women's Committee, Carolina Espinoza, stressed the importance of this event and PSI's gender agenda, especially "because we are coming out of our World Congress, which approved an action plan with gender mainstreaming in all areas."

"Our PSI has been avant-garde in incorporating women, the gender approach and the management of policies to implement equality of conditions, such as Care, which is a material way to achieve equalization," said Espinoza.

Along these lines, the Sub-regional Secretary for the Southern Cone and Coordinator of the Fórsa Project, Nayareth Quevedo, referred to the Latin American context, where the advance of the right wing is calling into question the civilizational rights that have been won, and the importance of the work carried out as a Committee at the Meeting and in the respective countries on the PSI Care agenda.

We must orient what we have called the 'Care Agenda', which focuses on the reconstruction of the social organization of care.

Finally, Verónica Montúfar, PSI Global Gender and Equality Officer, highlighted the continuity of PSI's action plan for Congress and the need to continue legitimizing PSI's vanguard role at the global level: "We must guide what we have called the "Care Agenda", which focuses on the reconstruction of the social organization of care. This task involves leading, directing and representing trade unions and care workers. It is not simply about launching a transformative gender agenda, but also about taking on a representative and leadership role."

During the first two days, group work was carried out around some guiding questions on the 5Rs, where participants discussed, debated and compared experiences on the experiences of public policies on care, the provision of care spaces in the workplace, the valorization of unpaid work, the constitutionalization of the human right to care, decent work and the representation of care workers and the role of the State and the public nature of care services.

Rewarding, representing and vindicating: the axes of the PSI agenda

Recognizing the value of unpaid care work is important for rebuilding the social organization of care. But transforming the care system also means that unions must fight for decent work for paid caregivers, in line with the ILO's Decent Work Agenda.

In the discussion of the second erre, women from different countries provided a regional perspective on the reality of paid care workers. They concluded that although there are advances in policies such as clauses in collective bargaining agreements on maternity/paternity leave and reduced working hours, these are not a universal minimum standard and do not fully guarantee rights, especially with regard to the care of those who provide the service.

Verónica Montúfar emphasized the need for women workers to participate in discussion forums, such as the ILO (International Labor Organization), to represent these needs. She also proposed a plan of action that includes collaboration with trade unions at the global level and advocated for decent work in the care sector, and highlighted the struggles of care workers in the public and private sectors, highlighting the advocacy work that PSI affiliates have done in the creation of transformative care systems from a gender perspective, based on decent work and the recognition of the human right to care.

To address the care crisis, PSI proposed a fundamental shift from the "care economy" to the reconstruction of the social organization of care. This approach highlighted the urgency of rethinking care in our society, advocating the transformation of gender roles in the configuration of quality, universal and public care service systems. In this context, PSI has stood out worldwide for denouncing and strongly opposing the privatization, commodification and financialization of the sector.

The Role of the State and Public Provision of Care

In the global care system, the state is primarily responsible for correcting the harmful gender inequalities that have placed the burden of unpaid care work on women.

This issue was also addressed in the group work, where the debate focused on the role of the State and its responsibility to provide public care services and systems that can transform inequalities and solve the social care crisis.

Among the conclusions, the countries affirmed that the financing of care institutions and services comes mostly from private entities, followed by the State. But the burden of free care work falls mainly on the family, and on the women in these families.

To delve into the fifth "R", María Fernanda Villegas, PSI facilitator and director of the Center for Labor Studies (CETRA), stressed the urgency of building a trade union and social agenda that motivates the State to fulfill its role, thus guaranteeing the right to care. She stressed the importance of developing policies financed through progressive tax systems that address insufficient public spending on care, ensure the sustainability of public care services and put an end to the increasing privatization in this sector.

"Privatization of essential care services disadvantages women, exacerbating the unpaid care burden they face. Institutions designed to promote equality are often underfunded, depriving women of access to free health services, childcare and quality education. Deficiencies in public care infrastructures intensify the burden carried by women, and trade unions have an important role to play in overcoming this scenario," Villegas said.

Finally, improving public services is crucial to ensure decent living conditions, fulfill human rights and move towards equality.