Asia’s policymakers are facing an urgent economic reckoning: the region can no longer afford to treat vital caregiving as an invisible, unpaid obligation carried solely by women.

Leading economists argue that caregiving—ranging from early childhood development to elder support—must be reclassified as essential public infrastructure rather than private domestic labor.

Investing robust capital into formal care systems promises to boost female workforce participation, generate millions of sustainable jobs, and fortify national balance sheets against aging demographics.