Unpaid Care Work Is Work: Tanzania Advances Gender-Transformative and Disability-Inclusive Care Systems

United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Tanzania in collaboration with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), convened a National Symposium on Unpaid Care Work, Disability Inclusion, and Gender-Transformative Approaches, bringing together government institutions, development partners, civil society organizations, academia, Organizations of Persons with Disabilities (OPDs), and youth advocates to advance dialogue and coordinated action on inclusive care systems in Tanzania.

The symposium was organized under the Global Disability Fund (GDF) Global Programme on Unpaid Care, Disability, and Gender-Transformative Approaches, jointly implemented in the United Republic of Tanzania by UNFPA, UNDP and UN Women. Speaking during the symposium, Mr. Yohana Sekimweri, the Assistant Director, Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Special Groups commended United Nations Tanzania,for generating  evidence and fostering national dialogue on unpaid care work and disability inclusion.

“These findings provide an important call to action for all stakeholders. Unpaid care work continues to disproportionately affect women and girls, especially those with disabilities, limiting their opportunities and well-being. We must work collectively to strengthen policies, expand social protection systems, and ensure that care responsibilities are recognized as a shared societal responsibility. I commend UN Tanzania, particularly UNFPA, UNDP, and UN Women, for supporting the Government of Tanzania in generating evidence that will help guide inclusive and transformative policy reforms,” said Mr. Sekimweri.

The event highlighted the urgent need to recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care work, particularly the disproportionate burden carried by women and girls, including those with disabilities and caregivers of persons with disabilities. Discussions focused on strengthening disability-inclusive and gender-transformative policies and services that enable equal participation in education, employment, leadership, and social life.

Delivering opening remarks, the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tanzania, Susan Ngongi Namondo, emphasized that unpaid care work remains one of the most invisible yet essential pillars sustaining families, communities, and economies. She underscored the importance of investing in inclusive care systems and social protection mechanisms to ensure that caregivers and persons with disabilities are not left behind.

She further noted that the symposium aligns with the aspirations of Tanzania Development Vision 2050, particularly its focus on inclusive economic growth, human capital development, gender equality, and strengthened social protection systems. By advancing disability-inclusive and gender-transformative approaches, the symposium reinforced the importance of building a resilient and equitable society where women, girls, youth, and persons with disabilities can fully contribute to and benefit from the country’s sustainable development agenda.

Under the Joint Programme important first of a kind assessments and studies were conducted examining the intersection between unpaid care work, disability inclusion, and gender-based violence (GBV) in Tanzania, providing important evidence for the future programming and planning. These included assessments on the needs and experiences of care recipients and caregivers, analyses of national care and support policies, and qualitative research exploring how unpaid care responsibilities contribute to increased vulnerability to violence, poverty, and social exclusion.

Speaking during the symposium, disability rights advocate Neema Mwasangi welcomed the findings of the report and called for stronger investments in accessible and inclusive care systems.

“For many families and caregivers, especially women and girls with disabilities, unpaid care work is a daily reality that often goes unseen and unsupported. This report gives visibility to our lived experiences and provides evidence that can drive meaningful policy change. We appreciate the efforts of UNFPA, UNDP, and UN Women for ensuring that the voices of persons with disabilities are heard and reflected in national discussions,” she said.

Evidence presented during the symposium showed that women in Tanzania spend approximately three times more time on unpaid care and domestic work than men, significantly limiting their access to economic opportunities, education, and participation in public life. The burden is even greater in households affected by disability, where caregiving often requires continuous and specialized support in the absence of accessible healthcare, education, respite care, and social services.

The symposium also highlighted Tanzania’s commitments under international and regional frameworks, including the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 5 on Gender Equality and Goal 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth.

Participants called for stronger multi-sectoral collaboration to integrate care and support services into national policies, budgets, and development planning. Recommendations included expanding social protection programmes, investing in accessible childcare and respite services, strengthening legal and policy frameworks, promoting redistribution of care responsibilities within households and communities, and amplifying the voices and representation of caregivers and persons with disabilities in decision-making processes.

The symposium concluded with a renewed commitment among stakeholders to transform research findings and pilot initiatives into concrete policy reforms and coordinated action. By recognizing care as a shared societal responsibility, the initiative seeks to reduce unpaid care burdens, advance gender equality, strengthen disability inclusion, and create a more inclusive future for all Tanzanians.