Socioeconomic analysis of the proposals for the National Care System of El Salvador

El Salvador has begun implementing a National Care System, starting with the approval, in 2023, of the National Policy of Co-responsibility for Care 2022–2030 and the adoption of the 2024–2029 Action Plan in 2024, which guides its implementation.

The document examines proposals to expand the public and free provision of services for people aged 18 and over who are in a situation of dependency in El Salvador. The computable general equilibrium model used in the study makes it possible to estimate the cost of this initiative, as well as quantify its macroeconomic and sectoral impacts with a gender perspective.

The analysis builds on the findings of the 2024 assessment of the costs and impacts of expanding care services for people aged 18 and over in a situation of dependency, conducted by the Government of El Salvador and UN Women.

The study shows how liberating women’s time can translate into higher household income, either through increased participation in paid care activities or in productive sectors. It also demonstrates how expanding the National Care System can enable women to participate actively across all sectors, beyond those traditionally associated with their gender roles.

The document is a collaboration between the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) and UN Women, within the framework of the second phase of the “Women, Local Economies and Territories” (MELYT) Programme, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) through the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS).