A/HRC/28/35 levels of children.31 However, channelling social protection through women alone does not eradicate the causes of gender inequality.32 From discriminatory legal frameworks to persistent discriminatory social norms, there are many underlying causes that prevent women from benefiting from social protection interventions or accessing social services in an equal manner to men. If the differences between men and women are not taken into account throughout the design, implementation and evaluation of a social protection intervention, there is a serious risk that the intervention will have the unintended effect of exacerbating inequalities. 32. Demands of unpaid care work often force women into informal jobs with precarious employment status, no access to social insurance benefits such as paid maternity leave, unemployment insurance or pensions, and often unsafe and unhealthy working conditions. 33 Even when women manage to combine unpaid care work with formal-sector employment, they are likely to have lower social insurance contributions than men, owing to lower wages and “interrupted” work histories as a result of child-rearing or other unpaid care work. 33. The unequal distribution, intensity and lack of recognition and support of unpaid care work undermines the dignity and autonomy of women caregivers and obstructs their enjoyment of several human rights — including civil, economic, political, social and cultural rights — on an equal basis with men.34 For example, unpaid care work has an impact on women’s and girls’ rights to education, work, social security and participation, as well as to rest and leisure. Systematically unequal distribution of care work and household tasks between women and men also raises concerns in terms of the right to equality and non-discrimination and the obligations of States in that regard. 34. Human rights treaties require States parties to take measures to ensure unpaid care work does not hamper women’s equal enjoyment of the right to social security.35 Thus, social insurance and social assistance programmes must take into account women’s unequal burden of unpaid care work. 36 For example, States must put in place social insurance schemes that take into account factors, including child-rearing periods, which prevent women from making equal contributions. 31 32 33 34 35 36 10 See Nicola Jones, Rebecca Holmes and Jessica Espey, Gender and the MDGs, Briefing Paper No. 42 (London, Overseas Development Institute, 2008). See Sarojini Ganju Thakur, Catherine Arnold and Tina Johnson, Gender and Social Protection, Paper No. 167 (Paris, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, 2009). Available from www.oecd.org/dataoecd/26/34/43280899.pdf (accessed in December 2014). See also M. Davies, DFID Social transfers Evaluation Summary Report, Research Report No. 60 (Sussex, Institute for Development Studies, 2009). See ILO, Women, Gender and the Informal Economy: An Assessment of ILO Research and Suggested Ways Forward (2008). See report of the former Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, on unpaid care work and enjoyment of rights, A/68/293. See article 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on the principle of equality between men and women, article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights on the right to an adequate standard of living, article 11 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on women’s right to work and equal opportunities, article 10 of that Convention on women’s right to education, article 12 of that Convention on women’s right to health, article 13 of that Convention on women’s right to participate in recreational activities, sports and all aspects of cultural life. See, e.g., A/68/293, paras. 48–53.