Pink-collar jobs those in care work, teaching, health, domestic work, clerical and retail services have long been associated with women. These roles form the backbone of societies, yet they remain undervalued, underpaid, and largely invisible in policy discussions. When we talk about gender equality and women’s empowerment under Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), the recognition and reform of pink-collar work becomes unavoidable. If we want to achieve true equality, we must place these occupations at the center of labour, economic, and social policy reforms. This article explores the state of pink-collar jobs globally and in India, their direct links to SDG 5, and the urgent policy actions required to bring equity.

What are Pink-Collar Jobs—and Why They Matter

The term ‘pink-collar’ was coined to describe jobs traditionally associated with women roles that emphasize nurturing, caregiving, and support. Unlike ‘blue-collar’ (manual labour) or ‘white-collar’ (professional/office) jobs, pink-collar occupations often lie in the middle essential yet undervalued.

Globally, women make up around 67% of the care workforce. In nursing and midwifery, women represent nearly 89% of the workforce, highlighting the deeply gendered nature of healthcare professions (WHO, State of the World’s Nursing Report, 2020). In the field of education, particularly at the primary level, women dominate classrooms (UNESCO, Global Education Monitoring, 2023). Domestic work employs around 76 million people globally, with women accounting for about 76% of this group and nearly 81% of them remain in informal or unprotected jobs (ILO, Domestic Workers Statistics, 2022). Even in retail and clerical work, female representation is disproportionately high, especially in developing countries.

The SDG 5 Connection Gaps We Must Close

Sustainable Development Goal 5 aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Pink-collar work is directly tied to several of its targets:

a) Unpaid Care (Target 5.4): Across the world, women shoulder nearly three times the amount of unpaid domestic and care work compared to men. UN Women (2020) estimates this adds up to 16 billion hours daily. If valued monetarily, this labour would equal nearly 9% of global GDP. Yet, this invisible contribution goes largely unrecognized in national accounts and economic policies.

b) Pay Gaps (Targets 5.5 & 5.c): Despite high levels of training and responsibility, women in health and care sectors face a gender pay gap of nearly 24%, even when accounting for factors like education and experience (ILO, 2022). Feminized occupations such as teaching, nursing, and personal care consistently show lower wage scales compared to male-dominated fields.

c) Informality and Lack of Rights (Targets 5.a & 5.c): Around 81% of domestic workers are informally employed. This leaves them without contracts, wage protections, social security, or even basic legal safeguards. ILO Convention 189 on domestic workers exists, but many countries including India are yet to fully implement it.

Why Investing in Pink-Collar Work Accelerates SDG 5

The undervaluation of pink-collar jobs is not only a gender justice issue it is also an economic mistake. The International Labour Organization (ILO), in its report ‘Care Work and Care Jobs for the Future of Decent Work’ (2018), found that investments in the care economy have a multiplier effect. Expanding affordable childcare and eldercare services creates millions of new jobs, boosts women’s labour force participation, and strengthens entire economies. Countries like Sweden and Norway that have heavily invested in care infrastructure consistently show higher female employment rates and narrower gender wage gaps.

Moreover, when unpaid care work is redistributed through state support, community programs, and employer-backed services women are freed to pursue higher education, formal employment, and leadership opportunities. The ripple effect is transformative: better income security for women, healthier families, and stronger social protection systems.

India Spotlight

India presents a mixed picture. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2023–24, female labour force participation has improved to 41.7%, up from 37% in the previous year (MoSPI, 2024). This rise is promising, but the majority of women remain in informal and low-paying roles, particularly in agriculture, domestic work, and basic service jobs.

The Time Use Survey (2024) highlights the entrenched inequality in unpaid work: Indian women spend around 289 minutes each day on unpaid domestic services, compared to only 88–90 minutes for men. This stark imbalance continues to trap women in cycles of time poverty, limiting their ability to take up or progress in formal employment.

The implications are clear. Expanding affordable childcare and healthcare infrastructure, professionalizing domestic work, and ensuring equal pay for equal work are critical reforms if India is to align with SDG 5.

Policy Actions Aligned to SDG 5

To transform pink-collar jobs into engines of equality and growth, the following actions are necessary:

1) Recognize, reduce, and redistribute unpaid care: Governments must invest in childcare, eldercare, and family leave policies that reduce women’s disproportionate burden.

2) Value and pay care work fairly: Closing the gender pay gap particularly in the health and education sectors requires pay equity audits, transparent wage bands, and enforcement of equal pay laws.

3) Formalize domestic work: Ratifying and implementing ILO Convention 189 is a crucial step. This means providing contracts, minimum wages, regulated working hours, and social security for domestic workers.

4) Create career ladders: Women in care and teaching need pathways for skill development, certification, and progression into supervisory and leadership positions.

5) Improve data and accountability: Regular, sex-disaggregated data on wages, contract types, and promotions in feminized sectors should be mandatory for all governments. This will help track progress and design effective policies.

What Success Looks Like by 2030

By 2030, achieving SDG 5 in relation to pink-collar jobs should look like this:

• The unpaid care gap significantly reduced, with men and women sharing household responsibilities more equally.
• The gender pay gap in health and education halved, supported by structural reforms.
• Domestic workers brought under formal protections, with informality rates substantially reduced.
• Women’s presence in leadership positions across health, education, and care services expanded visibly.
• National statistics that fully capture women’s contributions in both paid and unpaid work.

These changes are not aspirational they are achievable. Countries that invest in care infrastructure, reform wage systems, and redistribute unpaid labour are already demonstrating progress. For India and other developing economies, the window of opportunity is now.