ILC2023 - Verónica Montúfar

Public Services International, the trade union voice of women public service workers around the world, appreciates the comprehensive analysis of both the global and national contexts highlighted in the Study, in terms of trends in favour of and actual conditions for gender equality at work. We also highlight the detailed presentation of the efforts that have been made to close the gender gaps and the presentation of the fact that all is still insufficient.

The confirmation by the experts that international labour standards are interrelated and interdependent is fundamental, which is why in order to continue closing the gender gaps we cannot neglect this indivisibility, including Conventions 100, 190, 87, 98, 151 and 154, in addition to Conventions 111, 156 and 183, which are the subject of this Study.

On this occasion, we would particularly like to highlight Convention 156 because of our interest in the reconstruction of the social organisation of care, as it highlights the 5Rs of our Care Manifesto, which proposes Recognising, Rewarding, Reducing, Redistributing paid and unpaid care work, and finally the R of RECLAIMING the public nature and common good of care and the fundamental role of the State in its financing and provision of comprehensive and public care systems.

Accordingly, we propose three central issues to be considered in the conclusions of this session:

  • Redistribution of family responsibilities among workers should be promoted along with the provision of public care services.

  • Shared responsibility for care must be understood under the direction and control of states.

  • The opportunity to push for commitment to increased ratification and implementation of Convention 156 in the context of the great moment we are living in the building and/or strengthening of national care systems with public care workers and decent work.