Closing the childcare policy gap would generate almost 6 million jobs in 12 MENA countries by 2035

Investing in childcare provision that closes significant gaps in paid childcare-related leave and early childhood care and education (ECCE) would generate nearly 5.8 million ECCE jobs in 12 countries in the Middle East and North Africa by 2035. This would help reduce inequalities, generate decent care jobs, promote social justice, and support children’s developmental and education outcomes in the region.

Press release | 15 May 2023
AMMAN (ILO News) - Extending childcare-related paid leave (maternity, paternity, and parental leave) in accordance with ILO international labor standards and providing universal, affordable, and quality childcare services would generate millions of direct and indirect early childhood care and education (ECCE) jobs in the Middle East and North Africa, as stated in the regional companion report, "Care at Work in the Middle East and North Africa: Investing in leave and care services for a more gender-equal world of work."

Building on the results of the ILO Care Policy Investment Simulator, the largest online care policy-modelling tool available, the regional report finds a strong “investment case” for creating a transformative package of care policies, based on universal access to childcare and pre-primary education with decent work for early childhood education personnel, in line with the related ILO guidelines on the promotion of decent work for ECE personnel adopted by ILO constituents.

Utilizing the tool, the ILO conducted microsimulations for 12 countries in the region that had available data, including Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, and the United Arab Emirates. The results of the simulations indicate that investing in paid childcare-related leave and childcare services in these countries would generate a total of nearly 5.8 million direct and indirect jobs in early childhood care and education. Out of these jobs, 86 percent would be occupied by women, with 5.1 million being direct formal jobs in ECCE.

Moreover, this investment would yield additional positive returns. The simulations revealed that every dollar spent on closing the childcare policy gap would, on average, result in approximately three dollars of GDP increase in the region.

Under the patronage of the Minister of Social Development and the Chairperson of the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Women's Empowerment, Wafa Bani Mustafa, the regional conference "Investing in Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) in the Arab Region for a more gender-equal world of work" is being held from 15th to 17th May in Amman, Jordan. The conference aims to share the benefits of gender-transformative investments in ECCE. The opening of the conference featured the launch of the regional report, which brought together ILO constituents, including ministries of labor, workers' and employers' organizations, ministries of education and social development, development partners, and other ECCE stakeholders from various countries in the region. Wafa Bani Mustafa emphasized the importance of investing in early childhood care and education as a crucial step toward achieving social justice and decent work for women.

During the conference, Dr. AL-Tarawneh addressed the SSC's commitment to creating an inclusive and supportive environment for women. He highlighted the corporation's efforts to ensure equal opportunities and access to financial resources. In his keynote address, Dr. AL-Tarawneh showcased the SSC's progressive initiatives and programs designed to enhance women's participation in the labor market, ultimately leading to their economic empowerment.