women s participation in labour markets can occur at the expense of their unpaid care and domestic work which can lower the production of human capabilities that ultimately impact growth an effect that is frequently overlooked when women s employment rises they point in particular to the need for a sustainable and caring economy where care is recognized and valued and the burden is redistributed equally this is essential in particular for women in the global south who spend vast amounts of their time fetching firewood fuel and water and carry out other activities related to unpaid care and domestic work and smallholder farming figure