Changing the culture of care in Bogotá

Over 120 new and innovative SDG Acceleration Actions were submitted by governments and other actors in connection with this year’s High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. Many seek to build back better, greener and fairer from COVID-19, at all levels. At the local level, the City of Bogotá is taking novel steps to transform the culture of care in the city. To find out how, UN DESA spoke with the Mayor of Bogotá, Ms. Claudia López Hernández.

Please tell us about “District Care System”. How does it work exactly?

“It is a set of services, regulations and institutional actions seeking to recognize, redistribute and reduce care work in the city, perceiving it as an essential social function.

It will include having ‘blocks of care’ where residents can access care services easily – without walking a long distance, together with mobile services for those who live far away.”

What you mean by “care”?

“We perceive “care” in two ways – caring for dependent ones, including children, elderly, persons with disabilities, as well as housekeeping work.

We also include a strategy to provide for caregivers, including offering rest/recreation facilities and formal training.”

What are you looking forward to in the coming years? How will you measure the progress?

“The programme budget (over USD 830 million) and a four-year strategy has been approved. By 2020, we will complete the programme design; create an Inter-sectoral Commission with relevant entities; and operationalize at least two mobile care units.

One of the indicators to measure its cultural impact is “decreased percentage of those perceiving women to be better at domestic work” from 52.2 per cent to 47.2 per cent among women and from 53.8 per cent to 48.8 per cent among men.”

A final note: What is your message to other mayors across the world?

“I know you are facing enormous challenges in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic – building hospitals, testing people, etc.

Let us tackle them with hope and by strengthening financial and technical cooperation. Let us work together to push forward a caring and sustainable development agenda for our citizens.”

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