A Care-Led Recovery From Covid-19: Investing in High-Quality Care to Stimulate And Rebalance The Economy

The COVID-19 pandemic has both devastated employment prospects, particularly of women, and exposed the longstanding neglect care systems poor conditions workers. Most recovery programs propose to stimulate by focusing on investment in construction, ignoring gender equality issues. This paper argues for public high-quality services better workers build a more gender-equal caring economy. Using input–output analysis, across selected European Union countries United States, study shows care-led superior outcomes even when wages hours are matched. In particular, matching high levels Scandinavian would raise rates than 5 percentage points halve most gaps, while net cost construction that achieved as much generally be at least twice high.HIGHLIGHTSPublic is vital building economy.Recovery from requires social, not just physical, infrastructure.A care-led, rather construction-led, program creates jobs reduces inequality.More created improved.A economy, employing people jobs, also greener