Mapping South Africa’s Care Regime: Pathways to a Care-Focused Social Policy

This discussion document examines South Africa's care regime, arguing that both paid and unpaid care work are fundamental to economic stability and societal well-being, yet remain undervalued and underfunded, particularly affecting women.

• South Africa's care economy consists of paid work, such as health services and childcare, and unpaid work, including elder care and household chores. This work is essential for the broader economy as it enablesS enables individuals to participate in the labor market, but it faces challenges including limited accessibility, inadequate funding, and a disproportionate burden on women.
• The document advocates for a national care policy that integrates an 'ethic of care' into social policy to address inequities related to economic status, gender, and race, thereby promoting inclusive growth and recognizing care as central to social and economic life.

APA

iej_admin (2024). Mapping South Africa’s Care Regime: Pathways to a Care-Focused Social Policy. Institute for Economic Justice. https://iej.org.za/resource/discussion-paper/mapping-south-africas-care-regime-pathways-to-a-care-focused-social-policy/

Chicago

iej_admin. Mapping South Africa’s Care Regime: Pathways to a Care-Focused Social Policy. Institute for Economic Justice, 2024. https://iej.org.za/resource/discussion-paper/mapping-south-africas-care-regime-pathways-to-a-care-focused-social-policy/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=iej_admin |title=Mapping South Africa’s Care Regime: Pathways to a Care-Focused Social Policy |publisher=Institute for Economic Justice |date=29 October 2024 |url=https://iej.org.za/resource/discussion-paper/mapping-south-africas-care-regime-pathways-to-a-care-focused-social-policy/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{iejadmin2024mapping, author = {iej\_admin}, title = {{Mapping South Africa’s Care Regime: Pathways to a Care-Focused Social Policy}}, institution = {Institute for Economic Justice}, year = {2024}, month = oct, url = {https://iej.org.za/resource/discussion-paper/mapping-south-africas-care-regime-pathways-to-a-care-focused-social-policy/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }