The Hidden Cost of Care: Why Women in Serbia Pay the Highest Price

If you have ever wondered where your money, time, and energy disappear, the answer may fit into a single word: care. Looking after children, ageing parents, family members who are ill, or relatives living with disabilities is not only an emotional and organisational burden. It also comes with a price. And, as a rule, we do not all pay that price equally.

Almost every household in Serbia incurs care-related expenses—95% of them, according to new research. At the same time, one in three people is unable to secure the care a family member needs. Moreover, every third household is forced to reduce spending on basic necessities in order to finance care and support. These are among the key findings of the first study examining out-of-pocket care costs in Serbian households, presented at a media briefing organised by the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women Serbia), with the support of the British Embassy in Serbia.

“During the United Kingdom’s chairmanship of the Berlin Process, we enabled Western Balkan countries to join the TransformCare initiative implemented by UN Women. The initiative supports governments in improving care systems and removing barriers that prevent women from accessing quality employment opportunities. The United Kingdom has committed £1 million globally to TransformCare, and since last year Serbia and other countries in the region have been able to access these funds,” said Dominic Otway, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Serbia.

Milana Rikanović, Director of UN Women Serbia, emphasised that the research findings demonstrate that care costs represent a significant financial burden for households across Serbia. As many as 81% of households allocate money every month to maintaining the health of family members.

The Financial and Emotional Pressure of Caregiving

The study shows that 81% of households in Serbia spend money every month on healthcare and family wellbeing, while nearly every family incurs some form of care-related expense. The median monthly cost amounts to 30,833 Serbian dinars, meaning that half of all households spend up to this amount every month to provide support to family members.

The situation is particularly concerning for households caring for older people and individuals with disabilities. While families with children are more likely to cover these expenses through additional work, households caring for elderly or disabled family members rely far more heavily on savings or debt. More than half use existing savings, over one-third borrow money, and as many as one-quarter report that they have had to forgo medical examinations or therapy due to financial constraints.

The financial pressure is so severe that one in three households in Serbia has reduced spending on heating, electricity, transport, or food quality in order to provide necessary care. At the same time, only one in ten households invests in psychological support or therapy.

The cost of care, however, cannot be measured solely in money. It is also paid in missed opportunities, lost free time, and deteriorating mental health.

One in four caregivers frequently misses work because of caregiving responsibilities. Every second caregiver gives up holidays, while 73% are unable to take annual leave at all. More than 60% of parents, and as many as 77% of people caring for elderly family members or persons with disabilities, report experiencing significant stress related to the cost and organisation of care.

Children are also affected. More than a quarter of parents (26%) report having to forgo school trips or recreational programmes because of financial difficulties, while 21.9% have discontinued additional educational activities for their children.

When Families Cannot Afford Care, Women Fill the Gap

When families cannot afford the services they need, women absorb most of the burden.

When there is no place available in a childcare centre, when an elderly parent needs to be taken to a medical appointment, when therapy sessions must be organised, or when a child falls ill and someone needs to stay home, it is most often mothers who step in.

According to the study, women in Serbia still perform 2.6 times more unpaid care work than men. In other words, the care economy in Serbia continues to rely heavily on invisible female labour.

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