Kenya in the race to formulate National Care Policy

State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action Fund is coordinating the process of developing the National Care Policy that shall provide a comprehensive framework for mitigating issues of unpaid care and domestic work as well as other care matters.

While addressing UN, CSO, academia and private sector stakeholders during a workshop held from 21st – 26th May 2023 in Naivasha, PS. for Gender and Affirmative Action, Ms. Veronica Nduva noted that the unpaid care and domestic work initiative is anchored in the SDG 5.4 which aims to recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work saying the government is dedicated to achieving SDG 5.4 before 2030.

The PS recognized that the burden of unpaid care work heavily falls disproportionately on women with data: “Women do over 76 percent of unpaid care work compared to men, this exacerbates gender inequalities which also hinders their participation in national development,” said the PS. She called on the stakeholders to develop a policy that is innovative which will not only serve the current generation but also generations to come.

The PS also urged the stakeholders to focus on the gender-responsive infrastructural as well as cultural issues which she said contribute heavily to unpaid care and domestic work. She called for the involvement and engagement of various stakeholders to support the drafting of the policy.

CCGD has been at the forefront of advocacy for a policy that would facilitate recognition, redistribution and remuneration of unpaid care work. As part of its efforts to pilot and demonstrate policy options for redistributing childcare CCGD has established Busia Childcare Centre in partnership with the County Government of Busia, the University of Nairobi Women Economic Empowerment Hub and Busia Women Cross-Border traders to free women with 0-4 children to engage in income generating work and other activities of their choice during the day when the Centre is open. This is a subsidized model where parents pay part of the cost (KES. 50 per day) that will be upscaled in Busia County.

By Maurice Goga