By Agatha Ngotho
Stakeholders emphasized the importance of decreasing the load of unpaid care work and addressing gender-driven separation in employment sectors.
In Summary
- The initial stage of the project pinpointed key obstacles hindering women’s economic empowerment.
- They encompass the unequal allocation of unpaid caregiving tasks and occupational segregation based on gender.
A woman selling tomatoes to empower herself economically. [PHOTO: GATES FOUNDATION]
On International Women’s Day, the global community marks an important achievement in promoting women’s economic empowerment throughout East Africa.
Dr. Annet Mulema, who serves as a senior program officer at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), mentioned that their aim is to tackle the obstacles preventing women from participating fully in the workforce and other areas like politics and leadership roles.
She emphasized the importance of decreasing the workload of unpaid care and dismantling occupational segregation based on gender.
The initiative, being carried out across five nations—Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda—is dedicated to offering evidence-based answers aimed at strengthening women’s economic and social standing.
"It was designed to assist young women in acquiring skills and boosting their employability, particularly by exploring ways to decrease unpaid caregiving responsibilities and enhancing governmental purchasing initiatives to aid female business owners," she explained.
During a workshop focused on the Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GrOW)2 East Africa, she shared her thoughts.
This five-year project is co-funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, and Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Mulema stated that during the initial stage of the initiative, key obstacles to women’s economic advancement were pinpointed, such as the imbalanced allocation of unpaid caregiving duties and the separation of genders within employment sectors.
"The second phase, which is currently coming to an end, aimed to close these gaps by producing evidence-driven solutions for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. This effort was essential in comprehending and tackling cultural norms that limit women's prospects across multiple areas, such as economic and political leadership," she clarified.
"The evidence we've gathered has shown significant effects, as evidenced by a group of 15 initiatives exploring ways to boost women's involvement in the workforce and help them access government contracting possibilities," stated Mulema.
The objective is not merely to experiment with solutions but to ensure that the evidence we collect impacts policies and shapes procedures in practice.
Professor Jane Mariara, who serves as the Executive Director at the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP), noted that one key insight from their study highlighted the significance of soft skill development.
She mentioned that a research group investigating the employment prospects of students from technical and vocational education training (TVET) institutions in Nairobi found soft skills to be essential for enhancing job placement success rates.
"Interestingly, the female participants experienced even more significant advantages from this training compared to their male peers, which was a thrilling and unforeseen result for our team," stated Mariara.
Mulema stated that aligning with the International Women's Day theme focused on advancing equity and inclusivity, the workshop included conversations about the unequal caregiving responsibilities primarily borne by women (often referred to as the "motherload").
Besides investigating methods to lessen this burden and maintain the topic within the realm of politics, the workshop aimed to enhance the involvement of women in the caregiving sector, acknowledging their significant impact on families and society.
"There is a necessity to acknowledge and honor the efforts made by women in providing care, be it for children or ill relatives," stated Mulema.
We also acknowledge the significance of developing policies and procedures that foster inclusiveness, so that both genders can prosper economically and contribute to the caregiving sector.
This article initially appeared in The Star
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