The social and economic implications of undertaking unpaid care work have long been a subject of academic and policy discussions. However, research on First Nations’ women’s unpaid care roles is extremely sparse. There is an enduring need, therefore, for research that supports First Nations women to share their own stories and experiences of unpaid care, which may include not just care of family and community, but also care of Country and care of culture. This research needs to more deeply understand the multifaceted nature of First Nation women’s care, as well as how different types of care work can intertwine and overlap to produce layered experiences and effects.

Furthermore, there is also limited empirical evidence to make a case for effective policy options. This is partly because the amount of unpaid care work that First Nations women perform remains invisible to scholars and policymakers. The significance of this project is that it will be the first study to expand existing feminist research on care work, by exploring what care work means for First Nations women. The research is intersectional in nature, and is designed to enable First Nations women, led by the Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar, to advocate for effective policy responses.