Elena Zacharenko, who studied the evolution of the EU policy’s approach to caregiving over a quarter of a century (1999-2023), discovered that decision makers are affording greater attention to this topic as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and as they are realising the impact that population ageing will have on the EU, including its economic growth.
“Nevertheless, the overall policy emphasis remains on pushing women to take on more paid work responsibilities, while ignoring the unpaid care workloads they are dealing with at home” she says.
Her research shows that some areas of EU policy, notably gender equality policy, do recognise the invisible burden of women’s care provision and its uneven division between women and men. However, they stop short of recognising the systemic nature of these inequalities such as low levels of leave and insufficient availability of care infrastructure. Furthermore, the solutions these policies offer – remote and flexible work and the hiring of helpers – are available only to certain groups of women. These policies therefore fail to meet the needs of women with limited financial means, who cannot afford to hire outside help, and those working in the service economy, who cannot perform their work remotely or with flexible hours.
Low-paid migrant work replaces public investment in care
Zacharenko’s research further shows that EU policies on care drive a demand for low-paid migrant workers to staff the care sector. Due to the difficult working conditions and low wages within it, as well as the broader undervaluation of care, the care sector is understaffed. This could be addressed through greater state investment. However, many wealthier countries increasingly rely on migrant workers, most often women from low-income EU countries or from outside of its borders, hired directly by individuals in need, to provide care services at low wages.
“We see that the availability of a cheap migrant labour force allows wealthier EU states to avoid making investments into its care sectors. At the same time, the migrant women who form most of this workforce are faced with difficult working conditions and sub-par wages,” says the researcher.
Her research demonstrates that EU policies in this area are contributing to this uneven division of labour across the continent and globally.
Elena Zacharenko, originally from Warsaw, Poland, obtained a BA (Hons) in International Relations and Politics from University of Salford and an MA in European Politics from the University of Sussex, UK. She is currently working as a PhD researcher at Tampere University.
Public defence on Monday 15 September
The doctoral dissertation of Elena Zacharenko, MA, in the field of social sciences titled Outsourcing, marketisation and migrant labour: how EU policy addresses the crisis of social reproduction will be publicly examined at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Tampere University, in the Väinö Linna auditorium of the Linna building, Kalevantie 5, Tampere, at 12 o’clock on 15 September 2025. The Opponent will be Professor Caroline de la Porte from the Department of International Economics, Government and Business of Copenhagen Business School. The Custos will be Associate Professor Hanna Ylöstalo from the Faculty of Social Sciences at Tampere University.