The South-4-Care Learning Hub in Colombo, organized by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with the World Bank Group and ITCILO, has brought together South Asian countries to strengthen cooperation on advancing decent work in the care economy. Held from 21–24 April 2026, the initiative serves as a regional platform for knowledge exchange, capacity building, and South-South and Triangular Cooperation, supporting countries in developing more gender-responsive and resilient economies.
Discussions during the four-day programme highlighted that meaningful progress in the care economy is achievable when governments, employers, workers, and other stakeholders work together through coherent policies and sustained social dialogue. Participants emphasized that care systems must be strengthened through inclusive public policies, increased investment, and improved coordination to address rising care demands while ensuring better working conditions for care workers.
Opening the event, Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stressed that the care economy is now central to how societies function and economies are sustained. She noted that labour force participation is closely linked to dignity, opportunity, and inclusion, and emphasized that all forms of work, including unpaid care work, must be recognized and adequately protected.
A key focus of the discussions was the persistent undervaluation of care work across South Asia, where women continue to bear a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities. Limited access to affordable and quality care services was identified as a major barrier to women’s economic participation and a driver of gender inequality in the region.
Participants also highlighted the critical role of coordinated action among governments, employers’ organisations, trade unions, the private sector, and experts in shaping effective care policies. Practical examples shared during the sessions demonstrated how social dialogue and partnerships can translate policy commitments into real improvements in care systems and working conditions.
The initiative builds on the International Labour Organization’s global Resolution on Decent Work and the Care Economy, which recognizes care as essential labour market infrastructure and calls for rights-based, gender-responsive approaches supported by public investment, social dialogue, and international labour standards.
Overall, the Learning Hub aims to convert global commitments into concrete national actions by fostering regional collaboration, strengthening care systems, and promoting decent work outcomes that benefit workers, families, enterprises, and societies across South Asia.
