On 19 June 2026, UN Women organized a media breakfast as part of the TransformCare initiative to present the findings of the research “Out-of-Pocket Household Expenditures for the Care Economy in Serbia.” The event brought together representatives of international organizations, institutions, the media, and the expert community. The study and its key findings were presented by Olivera Vuković, Executive Director of SeConS Development Initiative Group.
The presentation highlighted that 95% of households in Serbia incur monthly care-related expenses, demonstrating that financing care has become an integral part of household budgets. The findings revealed significant disparities between households of different socioeconomic status, as well as between urban and rural areas. Limited availability of care services was shown to increase reliance on unpaid family care work, which continues to be performed predominantly by women.
Particular attention was given to the impact of high care costs on household well-being. The research showed that many households are forced to forgo certain care services and activities, reduce spending on basic necessities, or rely on savings and borrowing to meet care needs. The presentation also emphasized that these financial pressures disproportionately affect informal caregivers, with women continuing to bear the greatest share of caregiving responsibilities.
The presentation concluded by stressing that the findings point to the need for increased public investment in the care economy, expanded access to affordable and high-quality community-based care services, stronger support for informal caregivers, and the implementation of gender-responsive public policies. The event was followed by a discussion with journalists on the implications of the findings and possible directions for strengthening Serbia’s care system.
