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Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe: An assessment summary

Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Zimbabwe

This assessment highlights the critical need for quality childcare services for informal economy workers in Zimbabwe. Street vendors and domestic workers, particularly women, face significant challenges due to high levels of informality and lack of social protection. The assessment recommends the cooperative model as a viable solution to improve working conditions, provide safe childcare, and empower workers. Key findings emphasize the supportive legislative framework, the fragmented market for care services, and the potential for cooperatives to address these issues effectively. The next steps include a validation workshop to align stakeholder priorities and the roll-out of ILO training tools.

9 June 2024

Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Occupied Palestinian Territory

This assessment highlights the critical need for affordable, quality childcare services in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Improving early childhood education and care can significantly enhance children's development and women's workforce participation. Despite the high demand, current childcare options are fragmented, informal, and often unsafe. The assessment recommends enhancing early childcare services, improving working conditions in nurseries, and promoting social and solidarity economy (SSE) models, such as cooperatives and non-profit institutions, to provide sustainable childcare solutions. The findings support the development of structured childcare services to empower women and address socio-economic challenges in the region.

9 June 2024

Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Lebanon

Lebanon: An assessment summary

Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Lebanon

This assessment highlights the critical need for improved working conditions for home-based care workers in Lebanon, primarily women. Lebanese nationals, migrant domestic workers, Syrian and Palestinian refugees, and other care workers face significant challenges, including low wages and inadequate legal and social protection. The assessment explores the viability of alternative SSE models to formalize employment, enhance social protection, and empower workers. Key findings emphasize the fragmented market for care services, the importance of facilitating care provision through SSE entities, and the need for a supportive legal and policy framework. Next steps include a validation workshop to align stakeholder priorities and the roll-out of ILO training tools. 

9 June 2024

Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Colombia

Colombia: An assessment summary

Providing care through the social and solidarity economy - Colombia

This assessment underscores the significant yet undervalued contribution of community care in Colombia, where unpaid domestic and care work, primarily undertaken by women, accounts for 21.7% of the GDP. The National Development Plan 2022-2026 has introduced the National Care System and the Ministry of Equality and Equity to address these issues. The study identifies key challenges, including gender disparities and decent work deficits, and highlights the potential of social and solidarity economy (SSE) entities to formalize care work, improve working conditions, and promote gender equality. The findings point to the need for systemic changes to enhance the recognition and support of community care providers.

9 June 2024

ILO Caribbean NewsLink December 2023