Enrolling children under three years of age in childcare services is associated with significant developmental gains by the time they reach six to seven years of age.
Quality childcare plays a crucial role in building human capital and enhancing workforce participation.
However, access to childcare remains a major challenge, particularly for low-income women.
The National Household Survey (2021) revealed that 83% of women perform unpaid care work compared to 53% of men.
Women and girls dedicate an additional 10 hours per week to unpaid care work compared to their male counterparts.
Responsibility for childcare is disproportionately placed on women, limiting their ability to engage in formal employment or pursue entrepreneurial activities.
This imbalance also adversely affects the productivity of women-owned businesses and their potential to transition from the informal to the formal economy.
As a result, women are more likely to work in the informal sector, often in low-profit, low-rent areas of the economy, and struggle to grow beyond the micro level.
Research shows that 37% of women business owners bring their children to work. Businesses where children are present earn 48% less profit than those without children on site.
This raises significant concerns about enabling women to fully engage in productive and meaningful entrepreneurship while ensuring that young children are not neglected.
Striking this balance remains a formidable challenge.
