The care services sector has the potential to create around 300 million new jobs worldwide.

The International Labor Organization (ILO) made this disclosure in a new report on care at work, titled ‘Care at Work: Investing in Care Leave and Services for a More Gender Equal World of Work.’

In the wake of the rising dearth of care services, there is nothing more comforting for workers than knowing that their children and elderly relatives are being properly cared for.

In Europe, care, especially for young children and the elderly, is one of the fastest-growing sectors.

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Against this background, the ILO has called for more investment in this sector.

The world body, in its report, highlighted the benefits of investing in care services and policies to alleviate poverty, promote gender equality, and support care for children and the elderly.

It also highlighted the need to balance work with care which is essential for societies and economies to prosper and to significantly reduce gaps in care services.

The ILO’s Gender, Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Work Maternity and Family Protection Specialist, Laura Addati, in the report, revealed that paid care work is an essential source of employment, especially for women. women.

She said the care workforce represents more than eight percent of the total employment of 12 million workers.

With its potential in job creation, he raised the need to strengthen social dialogue and the consultation process to develop a better system and mechanism on the important agenda.

FG and the Nigeria care sector

Taking a look at the sector in Nigeria, the operators urged the Federal Government to shed light on the care service, stating that legislation is required to ensure compliance with the rules, as well as to regulate the conduct of care providers.

Noting that the care economy is growing as demand for child and elderly care increases in all regions, Arrowshot Care Solutions Chief Executive Officer Dapo Olugbodi said his organization stands ready to work with the Nigerian government to provide legislation for the care industry in Nigeria.

According to him, there are 15 basic standards of care that professionals in the care industry must meet.

He urged industry operators to focus on a strong adherence to ethical standards in the performance of their duties.

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He said these are primarily due to the duties of the life care industry and as a result, a strong focus on professionalism should be the standard.

Olugbodi explained that proper training and care providers’ exposure to global standards in the care industry were crucial factors in instilling public confidence in the industry.

He stated that it had become imperative for the government to institute a proper structural framework in the care service industry to save it from unprofessionalism and quacks.

This, according to him, is to ensure proper standards are maintained in line with global best practice.

Noting that the care service is a professional service aimed at providing proper care to the elderly, proper training of the care service providers, Olugbodi said, was paramount.

He said the Arrow shot care solution is poised to raise the bar by providing holistic training for care providers.

“It should be noted that the training is in line with global requirements. Training for our staff is provided by a United Kingdom (UK) based healthcare company.

“There is the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in the UK, which is empowered to monitor the care sector. There is the Care Law, which regulates the way of providing care to people. The basis of this is to give independence to individuals.

“The care industry is heavily regulated. We will work with the Nigerian government to achieve legislation. There should be standards and legislation for the care industry in Nigeria,” she said.

The Arrowshot boss, who said the care economy is growing as demand for child and elderly care increases in all regions, said the sector will create a large number of jobs in the coming years.

“Yet care work around the world continues to be characterized by a lack of benefits and protections, low wages or no compensation, and exposure to physical, mental, and in some cases sexual harm.

“It is clear that new care solutions are needed on two fronts in terms of the nature and provision of care policies and services and the terms and conditions of care work,” she added.

How investment can boost care sector

Investing in the care sector can boost employment for women and men, increase Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and is essential to overcoming entrenched discrimination against women in the workplace and in society.

Studies have also revealed that work in the care sector remains significantly undervalued and characterized by poor wages and working conditions.

Women do more than three quarters of unpaid care work. This equates to 13 percent of the global GDP, or $10 trillion per year.

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In six emerging economies, an investment of two percent of GDP in care would create more than 42 million jobs.

Care jobs are often low-paid, physically and emotionally demanding, with heavy workloads carried out in unsafe conditions, inadequate training and poor career prospects and, in some extreme cases, in conditions close to slavery.

While caregivers are often underpaid, care is expensive for those who have to pay out of pocket.