Scaling up an inclusive childcare policy framework for the informal sector in Benin

Women in Benin’s bustling informal sector grapple with the dual responsibilities of work and childcare, and often lack access to quality affordable childcare services. This project caters to the childcare needs of these women by addressing the policy gap and developing an inclusive childcare framework for the informal sector.

Addressing informal workers’ childcare deficit

Women make up a large part of the informal workforce in Benin, working as market traders, street vendors and artisans. The lack of adequate day care for the children of these workers impacts women’s ability to earn income. It also exposes women and their children to risks from substandard childcare arrangements. The current childcare policy does not create incentives for providers to set up daycare services for women in the informal sector.

Developing an inclusive childcare policy

Building on lessons from promising pilot programs in Benin, Ethiopia, India and Kenya, this project seeks to develop childcare policies that work for women in Benin’s informal sector. Researchers and women’s rights groups are conducting a study on the needs of women in the informal economy for daycare services. This study and lessons from the pilot programs will be used to design a new small-scale project to test mobile units and shared responsibility centres. The aim is to better understand how these childcare models affect informal women workers’ income, their time spent on unpaid care work, and the well-being of their children. The project is holding regular stakeholder dialogues to share emerging lessons and gain additional insights from the community. It is also conducting workshops and dialogues with policymakers to help translate findings into concrete recommendations.