IWD2026 Care Sustains Society
The Care Referendum was held on International Women’s Day in 2024.
Care, Recognition, and Social Change
Welcome to the Affective Equality blog.
This is a space for reflection, conversation, and insight on care and love labour — and why they matter to our lives, our homes, and society as a whole.
Here we share ideas, stories, and perspectives that help make care more visible and better understood, supporting caregivers to recognise the value and leadership within everyday care.
Our writing explores how care shapes wellbeing, equality, and social change — and what becomes possible when we begin to see care differently.
How Caregiving Impacts Women's Economic Status
Caregiving has a profound impact on women's economic status, as it is disproportionately assigned to them due to deeply ingrained gender norms and societal expectations. Kathleen Lynch’s "Affective Equality" highlights the economic consequences of caregiving for women, particularly in the context of unpaid and undervalued care work. Below is an explanation of how caregiving affects women’s financial independence and economic opportunities:
The Value of Care
Unpaid care and love labour sustain our homes, communities, and wider society — yet this work is often overlooked or undervalued.
Through our blog, we explore the significance of care in everyday life, helping to make visible the emotional, practical, and relational work that caregiving involves. Our writing examines why care matters — not because it is paid, but because it is essential.
By bringing greater recognition to care and love labour, we aim to deepen understanding of how these contributions shape wellbeing, equality, and collective life.
The Heart of Caring: Why It’s Not for Sale
We all know how important love, care, and support are in our lives. Whether it’s the love of a parent, the care of a friend, or the solidarity of a community, these things make life meaningful. But here’s the catch: you can’t buy them. This blog breaks down why these forms of care are so vital and why they can’t be treated like services for sale...
Why Love and Care Are Essential for Equality and Human Flourishing
When we think about equality, we often focus on economic disparities, political representation, or cultural recognition. But there’s another crucial dimension of equality that often gets overlooked: affective equality. This concept, explored in Kathleen Lynch’s work, highlights the importance of love, care, and solidarity as fundamental human rights and essential components of social justice.
Care, identity, and the work of home
Caregiving often reshapes how we see ourselves and how we organise everyday life. From identity shifts such as matrescence to the ongoing realities of managing a home, our blog explores the experiences that many caregivers carry but rarely name.
We look at the practical and emotional dimensions of care — including household labour, mental load, and the often invisible coordination involved in sustaining family life. These aspects of care can carry significant weight, particularly for women, yet are rarely recognised as part of the wider conversation about care.
Through reflection and insight, we aim to support a deeper understanding of the work involved in caring — helping caregivers feel more recognised and less alone in the complexity of everyday life.
Finding the Balance and Making Time for Self-Care
In today’s fast-paced world, finding balance and making time for self-care can feel like an impossible task, especially for women who often juggle caregiving responsibilities alongside work and personal commitments. Caregiving, while essential and rewarding, can take a toll on mental, emotional, and physical well-being, particularly when it is unpaid and undervalued. However, prioritizing self-care is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for maintaining health, happiness, and resilience. Here are some practical tips to help you find balance and make time for yourself: