The International Labor Organization recommends allocating at least 1% of GDP to public policies for early childhood education. In Africa, this target has yet to be met, leaving women to bear an unequal share of childcare responsibilities.

Increasing public spending on childcare and early childhood education could create millions of new jobs in four African countries by 2030, with 65% of these jobs benefiting women. This is the finding of a report released by the Center for Global Development in December 2024. The report highlights the role of such investments in supporting the economic empowerment of women in Rwanda, Kenya, Côte d'Ivoire, and Senegal.

Titled "Childcare and Early Childhood Development Expenditures in Africa: Comparative Policy Insights for Advancing Women’s Economic Empowerment," the report points out that these countries currently allocate less than 0.2% of their GDP to preschool education, far below the 1% recommended by the International Labour Organization (ILO). Rwanda allocates 0.12% of its GDP to preschool education, Senegal spends 0.1%, while Côte d'Ivoire invests the least at just 0.05%, with Kenya contributing 0.08%.

The study models the impact of increasing investments in preschool education by 2030 and 2035. For instance, by dedicating 3.96% of its GDP to preschool education by 2030, Rwanda could create more than 777,000 jobs. Côte d'Ivoire could generate 1.2 million jobs, and Senegal could reach nearly 900,000 jobs. These investments would also reduce wage gaps by 4.65% to 33.62%, depending on the country.

Simulation of the Impact of Increased Public Spending

The lack of public childcare systems for children under three is a major factor contributing to these figures. The burden of unpaid caregiving falls mainly on women, often limiting their economic opportunities and confining them to low-paying jobs or even excluding them from the labor market entirely. A World Bank report released in November 2024, for example, shows that in Uganda, 83% of women perform unpaid caregiving tasks, compared to 53% of men.

However, it’s important to note that childcare is only one of many barriers to women’s economic empowerment in several African countries. Improving this sector alone would not completely close the gender gap. A broader set of reforms is needed to address other structural challenges.

Among these challenges is the overrepresentation of women in vulnerable jobs in the informal sector, where they often lack contracts, social security, or decent working conditions. According to a report by the African Development Bank published in November 2024, 56.6% of African women work in precarious jobs.

Discriminatory social norms also continue to limit women’s access to better-paying sectors. The same report indicates that only 7.7% of industrial jobs in Africa are held by women, despite their predominant role in agriculture and retail.