Supporting evidence-informed policymaking on unpaid care work for intergenerational equity in Togo and Benin

 

Traditional gender norms in many African countries assign women the primary responsibility for unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW), which is essential for family and community wellbeing. However, it is often undervalued in policy decisions, perpetuating economic inequality and gender stereotypes.

This project seeks to inform care policies in Benin and Togo, responding to the demand for evidence on UCDW, including quantifying the value of the care economy and analyzing the impact of current and potential policies on the future demand for and supply of care, focusing on gender equality and intergenerational equity impacts. It will engage key decision-makers and gender-equality advocates through communities of learning and practice on UCDW and through the creation of UCDW multi-actor platforms in both countries. Locally tailored key messages and strategic communications products will be co-developed through these stakeholder networks to inform a policy reform process.

Expected outcomes include the development of a coherent understanding of unpaid care work as a policy issue in West Africa and the creation of national and regional strategies for political and legislative reforms that formally recognize unpaid care work.

The project is supported under the Scaling Care Innovations in Africa partnership co-funded by Global Affairs Canada and IDRC. Scaling Care Innovations is a five-year partnership aimed at scaling tested and locally grounded policy and program innovations to redress gender inequalities in unpaid care work in sub-Saharan Africa.