Women in Latin America and the Caribbean - Cepal

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care to the “productive” adult population aged 18 to 64 and progressively higher scores to adolescents,
children and the elderly, whose care needs are greater. 43
Going by census-based population projections for 2005-2015, it can be estimated that the number
of care units required in Latin America in 2005 was 24% greater than the total population (677,281,504
care units as against 546,663,682 people). The burden is not distributed evenly between men and women,
however, and neither children nor the elderly are in a position to provide or care for themselves. By 2015,
this burden or demand is expected to have fallen slightly where minors are concerned, mainly owing to
lower fertility, but to have increased for older adults. The burden of care on the active population (aged 18
to 64) in 2005 was just over two units of demand per person, while by 2015 it is expected to have fallen
slightly to two units (see table II.3).
This information has important implications for public policies, since it identifies the so-called inbetween
generation as the fundamental source of care. Again, if this situation is considered in the light of
increasing labour market participation by women, who are the main carers, and of the absence or
inadequacy of social care infrastructure, it can be seen that responses will have to be found to the needs of
the population under these shifting scenarios in a quite near future.
Table II.3
MADRID SCALE: DEMAND FOR CARE BY DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF THE POPULATION,
LATIN AMERICA 2005-2015
Age group (years)
Weighting
factor (1) Population (2) Units of demand = (1) x (2)
Percentage distribution of
units of demand
2005 2015 2005 2015 2005 2015
Preschool (0-4) 2 55 319 818 53 850 771 110 639 636 107 701 542 16.3 14.3
School (5-14) 1.5 108 346 418 108 847 599 162 519 627 163 271 399 24.0 21.7
School-age youth
(15-17) 1.2 31 510 904 32 201 134 37 813 085 38 641 361 5.6 5.1
Adult (18-64) 1 318 140 174 375 439 709 318 140 174 375 439 709 47.0 49.9
Older adult (65-74) 1.2 20 701 834 28 553 239 24 842 201 34 263 887 3.7 4.6
Elderly (75-79) 1.7 6 540 955 8 567 239 11 119 624 14 564 306 1.6 1.9
Very elderly (80
plus) 2 6 103 579 9 076 823 12 207 158 18 153 646 1.8 2.4
Total population 546 663 682 616 536 514
Total care units required 677 281 504 752 035 849 100 100
Care units required as a percentage
of the total population 124 a 122
Care units required as a percentage
of the population aged 18 to 64 213 200
Source: Latin American and Caribbean Demographic Centre (CELADE)-Population Division of ECLAC, on the basis of
projections from population censuses using the Madrid scale methodology.
a
100 x (546 663 682 / 677 281 504).
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The per capita scores are as follows: 2 for children aged 0 to 4, 1.5 for those aged 5 to 14, 1.2 for adolescents aged
15 to 17, 1.2 for people aged 65 to 74, 1.7 for those aged 75 to 84, and 2 for those aged over 85 (Durán, 2006).