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Bridging the care gap through impact investing

 
IDRC-led panel discussions at two major impact investing and entrepreneurship conferences will bring investors, researchers, practitioners and entrepreneurs together to discuss how market-based solutions can help transform the care economy.
A Mexican woman sits in a chair with her two young children hugging her.
IDRC/James Rodriguez

The world is experiencing a care crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown how increasing domestic and care burdens are primarily shouldered by women and girls — deepening barriers to achieving gender equality and women’s economic empowerment. While public investments are at the core of the transformation that is needed, there is an equally important role for impact investing and entrepreneurship to achieve change at the systemic level.

IDRC is bringing this message to the Latin American Impact Investing Forum on March 1 in Mérida, Mexico. An IDRC-hosted panel featuring investors, entrepreneurs and researchers will discuss the role of impact investing in the care economy. IDRC’s Director of Sustainable Inclusive Economies, Erin Tansey, will moderate the discussion. The following day, care economy entrepreneurs and researchers will share their profiles and capital needs in a workshop and engage with investors. These entrepreneurs were identified in an effort to map market opportunities in the care sector, supported by the Transforming the Care Economy through Impact Investing initiative.

IDRC will also host a similar discussion in Nairobi, Kenya, on March 1. Impact investors and entrepreneurs will gather for the tenth annual Sankalp Africa Summit. An IDRC panel will highlight research results on the role that policymakers, business support entities, impact investors and entrepreneurs can play to support private-sector solutions to the care crisis and to inform relevant public policy reforms and private sector action. The Sankalp Africa Summit is convened by IDRC partner Intellecap, the advisory arm of the Indian-based impact investor Aavishkaar Group. IDRC’s support for Intellecap to grow its presence in sub-Saharan Africa will also be recognized at the summit.

IDRC has been partnering with businesses and investment funds that pursue social and environmental goals (in addition to profits), for more than seven years.