Background on Verónica Carpani and Her Relevance
Verónica Carpani is a prominent labor lawyer from Argentina who has been instrumental in advocating for the recognition of care as a fundamental human right. Her expertise and dedication to labor rights, gender perspectives, and care work have positioned her as a key figure in shaping policies that impact the lives of millions, particularly women.
The CIDH Ruling: A Milestone for Care as a Human Right
The Inter-American Court of Human Rights (CIDH) issued a groundbreaking ruling in August 2025, acknowledging care as a fundamental human right. This decision, hailed by labor law and gender perspective experts as a “monumental step,” sets a crucial precedent for the region and beyond, compelling states to ensure the right to care as a foundation for other human rights.
Key Principles of the CIDH Ruling
The CIDH ruling is built on three essential principles: equality and non-discrimination, social and economic value, and the sharing of responsibility across society. These principles aim to establish conditions for care that prevent negative impacts on the labor market, especially for women who have traditionally borne the brunt of caregiving responsibilities.
- Equality and Non-Discrimination: The Court seeks to counteract labor discrimination and the gender pay gap resulting from cultural expectations of women as primary caregivers.
- Social and Economic Value: The Court recognizes care as a vital, socially and economically valuable activity that supports life and society, even when it is unpaid.
- Shared Responsibility: Care becomes a societal responsibility, involving states, civil society, individuals, and businesses. The ruling outlines obligations for states and actions for businesses to ensure this right.
Implications of the CIDH Ruling
Carpani emphasized that the recognition of the right to care extends beyond domestic and personal realms, transforming it into a collective societal responsibility.
- Beyond the Domestic Sphere: The ruling moves care from a private, family matter to a societal responsibility involving states, civil society, individuals, and businesses.
- Distinction Between Paid and Unpaid Care: The decision highlights the disparity between remunerated care work (e.g., domestic work, nursing) and unpaid care predominantly performed by women at home. This recognition aims to elevate the status of essential work done by women to sustain society and the economy.
- Work-Life Balance: States and businesses are obligated to establish conditions enabling individuals to balance family responsibilities with their careers, promoting gender equity in the workplace and ensuring people don’t have to choose between their professional aspirations and care responsibilities.
Contextualizing the CIDH Ruling
The CIDH opinion, issued on August 7, arrives amidst a political climate with regression tendencies in human rights across the region. In Argentina, for instance, the current government has dismantled public policies promoting care recognition, insisting it’s a personal and family matter.
Despite this, Carpani underscored the significance of collective bargaining as a powerful tool to advance care rights, even under conservative governments.
The collaboration between feminist collectives and female trade unionists has proven vital in advancing these agendas, achieving milestones like the adoption of ILO Convention 190 on violence and harassment in 2019. This synergy between civil society and labor market actors is crucial for furthering the care rights agenda and translating norms into real, tangible changes for individuals.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the significance of the CIDH ruling? The CIDH ruling is a monumental step in recognizing care as a fundamental human right, compelling states to ensure this right as a foundation for other human rights.
- How does the ruling address gender disparities in care work? The ruling emphasizes equality and non-discrimination, aiming to counteract labor discrimination and the gender pay gap resulting from cultural expectations of women as primary caregivers.
- What are the implications for work-life balance? The ruling obligates states and businesses to establish conditions enabling individuals to balance family responsibilities with their careers, promoting gender equity in the workplace.
