International Day of Care

Syllabus Areas:

GS I - Society

GS II - Polity and Governance

The UN’s decision to declare October 29 as the International Day of Care and Support has renewed attention on India’s childcare ecosystem, especially frontline Anganwadi and crèche workers who remain underpaid, undervalued, and central to early childhood development and gender equity.

Global Recognition of Care Work

  • On July 24, 2023, the UN adopted a resolution declaring October 29 as the International Day of Care and Support.
  • The resolution highlights the essential role of care policies in:
    • Reducing and redistributing unpaid care work
    • Valuing domestic labour
    • Supporting children, elderly populations, and persons with disabilities
  • Women and adolescent girls shoulder a disproportionate burden of unpaid care work globally — including India — shaping gender inequality.

India’s Historical Context of Childcare

  • India has a long tradition of community-based care outside the family.
  • Pioneers such as Tarabai Modak and Gijubai Badheka built early models in the late 19th–early 20th centuries.
  • These child-centric, developmentally appropriate practices declined over time as private and voluntary sector childcare expanded after Independence.
  • Result: Low-income families were excluded, widening social and developmental inequities.

The 1972 Turning Point: Mina Swaminathan’s Study Group

  • The Study Group on the Development of the Preschool Child (1972), led by Mina Swaminathan, transformed childcare policy.
  • It introduced a social justice-oriented, holistic approach addressing health, nutrition, and early development of marginalised children.
  • This led to the launch of ICDS (Integrated Child Development Services) in 1975.

ICDS: India’s Flagship Childcare Programme

  • Currently one of the largest early childhood development systems in the world.
  • 4 million Anganwadi centres serve 23 million children, supported by 2.4 million workers and helpers.
  • Population projections suggest the need to:
    • Expand to 6 million Anganwadis by 2030
    • Employ over 5 million workers

Chronic Undervaluation of Care Workers

  • Despite their critical role, childcare workers remain:
    • Underpaid (₹8,000–₹15,000/month, often below minimum wages)
    • Undervalued
    • Largely excluded from professional status
  • Key issues:
    • Limited pre-service and in-service training
    • Poor working conditions
    • Lack of social security, paid leave, and career pathways
    • Perception of workers as just “carers,” not early childhood professionals
  • Result: Quality of childcare suffers, and workers’ contributions remain invisible.

Climate Change and Rising Demand for Childcare

  • Climate change disproportionately affects poor women and children due to:
    • Male migration to urban areas
    • Reduced access to health and nutrition
    • Increased care burdens during extreme events
  • Migrant families in cities face:
    • High living costs
    • Women needing to work as domestic workers
    • Limited care options for their own children
  • Only 10% of Anganwadi centres currently operate in urban areas — a major service gap.

Time-Use Survey Findings: Feminisation of Care

  • Time Use in India Survey 2024 reveals:
    • Women spend 426 minutes/day on unpaid care
    • Men spend just 163 minutes/day
  • This unpaid labour contributes an estimated 15–17% of India’s GDP if monetised.
  • Insufficient maternal time for childcare is linked to:
    • Persistent 35%+ child stunting
    • Poor diet diversity — only 11% children (6–23 months) receive a minimum acceptable diet.
International Day of Care

India Childcare Champion Awards 2025

  • Organised by Mobile Creches and FORCES, the awards honoured:
    • Best crèche workers & supervisors
    • Local leaders
    • NGOs
    • Childcare champions
    • CSR supporters
  • Purpose: Recognise frontline childcare workers, highlight their expertise, and legitimize their work as skilled profession.

Stories from the Ground

  • Childcare workers shared experiences of:
    • Breaking caste and class barriers
    • Overcoming social stigma
    • Building trust with families and emotional bonds with children
  • For migrant children, workers act as:
    • Caregivers
    • Educators
    • Advocates for health insurance, better housing, clean classrooms
  • They play multiple roles — carers, early educators, monitors of child development milestones, and community change agents.

The Scandinavian Benchmark

  • India invests only 4% of GDP in early childhood care.
  • Universal, high-quality childcare requires raising investment to 1–1.5% of GDP, similar to Scandinavian standards.
  • Only 2,500 out of 10,000 approved crèches under the Palna Scheme are functional — indicating weak implementation capacity.

What India Needs to Do (Policy Imperatives)

  • Recognise Childcare as a Core Public Good
    • Shift from welfare mindset to professional recognition.
  • Improve Working Conditions
    • Fair wages, social security, paid leave, career pathways.
  • Strengthen Training & Skilling
    • Mandatory pre-service and in-service training
    • Consistent quality across all Anganwadis
  • Expand Infrastructure
    • Increase Anganwadi and crèche density
    • Prioritise urban and migrant-heavy areas
  • Decentralisation & Convergence
    • Local governments, community organisations, NGOs must co-own the system.
  • Voice & Representation
    • Support worker collectives, grievance systems, and participatory policymaking.

India’s childcare ecosystem stands at a decisive moment. With global recognition now shining a spotlight on care work, the country must move beyond symbolic appreciation. Professionalising childcare workers, investing in frontline infrastructure, and adopting Scandinavian-level ambitions can transform early childhood development, reduce gender inequality, and strengthen human capital for generations. The future of India’s poorest children — and the women powering the care economy — depends on it.