Accra: The Centre for Opportunities and Rural Development (CORD-Ghana): is spearheading a grassroots campaign to bring visibility and recognition to unpaid care work through its ‘Unpaid but not Unvalued (UbU)’ initiative.
According to Ghana News Agency, the UbU initiative is a community-led advocacy intervention seeking to highlight the rights and needs of unpaid caregivers, especially women, whose contributions to families and communities often go unrecognized and unsupported. Currently being implemented at Kulinkpegu in the Mion District and Sheshegu in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, the initiative also covers the communities of Nadowli Kaleo, Meguo, Zupiri, and Mantari in the Upper West Region, and Lala in the Oti Region.
Madam Esther Nyamekye Opoku, Programmes Director at CORD Ghana, revealed that the initiative employs culturally relevant tools such as community drama and a specially designed board game to provoke reflection and dialogue on gender roles and unpaid care responsibilities. She explained that through drama, community members engage in role reversals to identify areas needing more attention and support in unpaid care work.
The board game component utilizes the Learn, Educate, and Act Now (LEAN) approach, encouraging players to act out caregiving scenarios. Actions promoting shared responsibility earn rewards, while those reinforcing harmful stereotypes incur penalties. These interactive tools have been effective in stimulating discussions, challenging traditional norms, and enhancing appreciation for unpaid care work.
The initiative not only shifts perceptions but also lays the groundwork for policy advocacy, aiming to integrate unpaid care work into local development planning. This aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 5, which seeks to achieve gender equality and empower women and girls. When communities value caregiving roles and promote shared responsibilities, it opens opportunities for women and girls to access education, pursue careers, and participate fully in decision-making processes.
The piloting of these games in beneficiary communities has generated positive feedback and deepened understanding of how unpaid care work impacts household and community well-being. Unpaid care work, encompassing domestic chores, childcare, and caring for the sick and elderly, disproportionately falls on women and girls, limiting their access to education, economic opportunities, and participation in public life.