Episode Details

There is an invisible foundation to our global economy: the billions of hours of unpaid care work performed daily by women. Until this "time poverty" is addressed through formal infrastructure, the true potential of the global workforce will remain sub-optimal and untapped.

Moving from women’s development to women-led development is more than a social goal; it is a strategic economic imperative that provides the greatest return on investment for any nation. The dialogue focuses on creating a "nurturing economy" where digital railroads, affordable childcare, and inclusive urban governance allow women to transition from survival livelihoods to leadership roles. This requires a fundamental shift in mindset—viewing care services not as a luxury for the wealthy, but as an essential public good that drives national productivity.

• True empowerment is measured by "agency"—the capacity for women to define personal goals and make strategic choices.
• Reorienting existing systems, such as anganwadis, into community creches provides a scalable solution for the childcare gap.
• Gender-disaggregated data is a vital policy tool because what is measured in an economy determines what is prioritized.
• Self-help groups and cooperatives demonstrate that women-led collectives are low-risk, high-impact drivers of community wealth.

The current era of global transformation offers a unique window to center these issues, particularly within the Global South, where the informal economy remains the primary employer.

If women are already at the center of family life, what prevents us from placing them at the center of economic decision-making?

#WomenLedDevelopment #CareEconomy #InclusiveGrowth #LivelihoodSystems