APEC Non-binding Care Compact

The APEC Non-Binding Care Compact sets out recommendations intended to help APEC economies achieve a sustainable and productive care economy that delivers quality care with decent jobs.

The care economy provides critical social infrastructure, essential for human development, well-being and the functioning of the economy. The Compact recognizes the dependence of all APEC economies on the care economy as a driver of economic growth, employment, and competitiveness, and emphasizes the importance of creating a policy and regulatory environment conducive to supporting a robust and resilient care economy.

The Compact underpins APEC efforts to value paid and unpaid care work, encourage the redistribution of unpaid caring responsibilities, strengthen and invest in care economy jobs, and boost women’s workforce participation. These recommendations provide a basis for resilient care economies with a strengthened ability to meet growing demands for care, including as a result of aging populations.