Cities across Asia advocate for care as essential urban infrastructure

[Press release]

Seoul, Republic of Korea — As cities across Asia face rising care demands driven by population ageing, changing family structures and rapid urbanization, policymakers, municipal leaders and international partners gathered in Seoul on 12 June 2026 to advance a shared vision for Caring Cities – urban systems where care is recognized, valued and supported as essential for inclusive and sustainable development.

The Forum on Policy Directions for Local Governments for Enabling Care-Friendly Cities, held at the Seoul Metropolitan Council, brought together over 40 participants from government, international organizations and civil society. The event was hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Council, and co-organized by CityNet, the Kim Dae Jung Foundation and the UN Women Knowledge and Partnerships Centre in the Republic of Korea.

Across the region, cities are at the forefront of responding to care needs. Rapid urbanization, population ageing, declining fertility rates and changing household structures, are creating growing demand for care services, often outpacing available provision. Women and girls continue to bear a disproportionate share of unpaid care work, limiting their participation in the labour market and public life. The Caring Cities approach seeks to address these challenges by recognizing care as a public good and shared responsibility. By embedding care consideration into urban planning, public services and infrastructure, cities can better respond to the needs of families and communities.

“The transformation of care systems is essential to building cities that are inclusive, resilient and equitable,” said Yun Jeong Hwang, Director of the UN Women Knowledge and Partnerships Centre in the Republic of Korea. “Recognizing care as a public good and investing in it as a core element of urban infrastructure can unlock women’s economic empowerment while strengthening communities and local economies.”

Discussions highlighted the critical role of local governments in shaping care-responsive policies and delivering integrated services tailored to the needs of families and communities. Participants shared experiences from the Republic of Korea and across the region, demonstrating how cities can pilot innovative approaches ranging from community-based care models to gender-responsive infrastructure and data-driven service-delivery.

A key focus of the forum was identifying policy directions for advancing Caring Cities. These include strengthening governance, mobilizing sustainable financing, investing in care infrastructure, improving data systems and promoting the equitable sharing of care responsibilities.

“Cities across the Asia region are increasingly facing shared challenges, including population ageing and the rise of single-person households,” stated Jae-Bok Chang, Chief Executive Officer of CityNet. “Care systems should be recognized as essential public infrastructure rather than solely the responsibility of individuals and families, underscoring the growing role of local governments in fostering inclusive and resilient communities. The forum is a timely and meaningful opportunity to discuss policy directions for enabling more care-friendly cities.”

Forum speakers such as City Councilor Park Kang-San further emphasized the importance of coordinated action across sectors and stakeholders, including governments, civil society, the private sector and international organizations. Strengthening partnerships and fostering cross-city learning will be essential to scaling effective solutions and ensuring that care systems respond to diverse and evolving urban needs.

The Forum also built on the Memorandum of Understanding signed this year between CityNet and UN Women to advance gender equality and women’s economic empowerment in cities in Asia and the Pacific. Through the partnership, both organizations will collaborate on initiatives such as conferences focused on caring cities and by introducing a brand-new thematic competition category for the 5th SDG City Awards, namely the Gender-Inclusive & Caring Cities Award.