This 'invisible' work contributes over US$10.8 trillion a year to the global economy, and before COVID-19, women and girls provided 12.5 billion hours of free care work every day.

Yet, when Asia launched Covid-19 responses and stimulus packages, women and care work's amiss.

This callous neglect is a result of prioritizing the economy above everything else, compounded by social norms that undervalue care work and leave the burden to women and girls.

Globally, 70% of poorly paid health care workers are women - in frontlines - often without training or proper safety equipment.

- We must professionalize care work and create women's social enterprises to help care workers transition to decent work through training, education, and certification.