Nepal, Oct. 28 -- Every day, before sunrise, my day as a single mother begins as I get my daughters ready for school before heading to work. By the time I reach the office, I have already planned meals, coordinated school and after-school activities, kept track of forms and deadlines, and sorted out the logistics of the day.

Yet, compared with the daily reality of many women in Nepal, my care responsibilities are often lighter. Across the country, women balance childcare, elder care, care for family members living with illness or disability, household duties and income-generating work to keep the families running.

So who cares? In the majority of cases, women do: at home, where their work goes unrecognised, or as paid care workers, wher...