Emergence of a female middle class and demand for childcare in West Africa

Francophone countries in West Africa have experienced positive economic growth rates in recent years that appear to be leading to an expansion of the middle class. To plan accordingly, it is important to shed light on the dynamics of the female middle class and the demand for childcare services.

The research from this project will provide relevant evidence, practical tools, and advice for decision-making. Through partnerships with public and private sector actors, it will identify and facilitate the scaling up of effective solutions to achieve women's empowerment and gender equality through the large-scale adoption of tailored childcare models. This will help reduce the domestic burden of unpaid care work for middle-class women, enabling them to fully participate in the economy and reap benefits commensurate with their efforts.

The project is part of IDRC's support activities for applied development research in West Africa, and a continuation of the successful initiative on Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW). GrOW West Africa's goal is to support applied, practical, in-depth research rooted in the local context of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal. Its aim is to help rebuild post-COVID-19 socio-economic systems in a way that contributes to women's empowerment and gender equality.