On 7 January 2025, UNDP released a new document titled “A practical guide to become a caring city: a case study on Bogotá, Colombia”. It showcases how Bogotá has addressed the often invisible issue of unpaid care work thanks to the support of the 2021 Mayors Challenge.
This guide documents the initiative implemented by the city of Bogota’s Women Secretariat, that launched the District Care System in 2020. By recognizing, redistributing, and reducing care responsibilities this system has improved the lives of women who are dedicated exclusively to unpaid care work, enhancing their well-being and expanding opportunities for education and employment.
Key aspects of the guide include:
- The three R’s: an analysis of three core principles — recognizing, redistributing, and reducing unpaid care work—and the transformative policies implemented in Bogotá.
- The care ecosystem in action: providing insights into how innovative services, such as care centers, mobile care buses, and in-home care programs, support caregivers and individuals requiring care.
- Lessons for global replication: practical strategies for other cities in Latin America and around the world to adopt Bogotá’s successful model.
- Impact and outcomes: this guideline emphasizes achievements like caregiver skill certification programs, cultural transformation initiatives, and community capacity-building efforts.
This publication serves as both a critical analysis and a practical toolkit for policymakers, urban planners, and advocates of social equity and gender justice. It highlights how investing in care systems promotes inclusion, empowers caregivers, and drives sustainable development at the local level. See the presentation of the Guidelines webinar HERE.