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Daycare facilities inaugurated to accommodate the needs of working mothers
The daycare centers will create a conducive working environment with, safe, stimulating, and child-friendly facilities that accommodate the needs of working mothers with infant children and toddlers in the textile and garment factories.
7 April 2024
One of the factory worker's baby playing in the daycare center
ILO NEWS (ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia) - The International Labour Organization in partnership with the Ethiopian Ministry of Industry and Partnership for Change inaugurated workplace day care centers in two textile and garment factories in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
These two facilities are established in Yirgalem Addis Textile Factory PLC and Ethio-Impact Manufacturing PLC with the financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The daycare centers will create a conducive working environment with, safe, stimulating, and child-friendly facilities that accommodate the needs of working mothers with infant children and toddlers in the textile and garment factories.
Officially opening the inauguration, Ethiopian Minister of Industry State Minister Hasan Mohamed, said, “the presence of childcare centers in manufacturing industries will not only create a comfortable working environment for female workers, but will also ensure the economic and social benefits of the professionals to their full potential.”
Mr. Hassan added, “the Ministry will continue to strengthen the support in order to strengthen the capacity of female workers engaged in the industry and create a comfortable working environment for working mothers.”
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, State Minister, Federal Minister Women and Social Affairs, Hon. Mrs. Alemitu Umod, said, “To create a comfortable working environment in government institutions and manufacturing industries, and to reduce the workload of women and to protect the rights and safety of children, standard daycare centers should be expanded and strengthened.”
“The establishment of the daycare centers will make women workers productive and institutions more efficient, while children and their families will have a better life,” she added.
Ambassador Stian Christensen of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa for his part said, “This is an investment that pays off. It undoubtedly plays a critical role in gender equality allowing mothers to both enter the workforce and continue working.”
Alexio Musindo, ILO Country Director for Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan said, “this momentous occasion marks a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to support working women and promote gender equality in the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Sector.
The owner of Yirgalem Addis textile, Ms Yirgalem Assefa on her remark stated,“ I have been trying to open a day care for a long time But I couldn't achieve this desire because I didn't have the necessary skills. For the past five years, I have been pushing the administration to open a day care for my female employees. During these times, I lost many of my qualified female employees because they were forced to leave their jobs just because there was no one to take care of them. In the midst of my problems, I was very happy to be selected for this project”.
The ILO’s “Promoting Workers' Rights and Gender Equality at Work in Africa project in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and social partners, our project" has supported textile and garment factories with the establishment of daycare facilities, capacity building initiatives, and awareness-raising efforts on maternity protection, care policies and Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights (SRHR) for the youth and women workers in the factories.
Investing in the care economy creates jobs with decent work, reduces gender and intersecting inequalities, and enhances health and well-being. Moreover, the potential return on investment for economies and societies is indeed significant. Recent ILO assessments shows that; In Ethiopia, ambitious investments in the care economy, could generate almost 7 million jobs and substantially reduce inequalities.
These two facilities are established in Yirgalem Addis Textile Factory PLC and Ethio-Impact Manufacturing PLC with the financial support from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The daycare centers will create a conducive working environment with, safe, stimulating, and child-friendly facilities that accommodate the needs of working mothers with infant children and toddlers in the textile and garment factories.
Officially opening the inauguration, Ethiopian Minister of Industry State Minister Hasan Mohamed, said, “the presence of childcare centers in manufacturing industries will not only create a comfortable working environment for female workers, but will also ensure the economic and social benefits of the professionals to their full potential.”
Mr. Hassan added, “the Ministry will continue to strengthen the support in order to strengthen the capacity of female workers engaged in the industry and create a comfortable working environment for working mothers.”
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, State Minister, Federal Minister Women and Social Affairs, Hon. Mrs. Alemitu Umod, said, “To create a comfortable working environment in government institutions and manufacturing industries, and to reduce the workload of women and to protect the rights and safety of children, standard daycare centers should be expanded and strengthened.”
“The establishment of the daycare centers will make women workers productive and institutions more efficient, while children and their families will have a better life,” she added.
Ambassador Stian Christensen of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Addis Ababa for his part said, “This is an investment that pays off. It undoubtedly plays a critical role in gender equality allowing mothers to both enter the workforce and continue working.”
Alexio Musindo, ILO Country Director for Djibouti, Ethiopia, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan said, “this momentous occasion marks a significant step forward in our ongoing efforts to support working women and promote gender equality in the Ethiopian Textile and Garment Sector.
The owner of Yirgalem Addis textile, Ms Yirgalem Assefa on her remark stated,“ I have been trying to open a day care for a long time But I couldn't achieve this desire because I didn't have the necessary skills. For the past five years, I have been pushing the administration to open a day care for my female employees. During these times, I lost many of my qualified female employees because they were forced to leave their jobs just because there was no one to take care of them. In the midst of my problems, I was very happy to be selected for this project”.
The ILO’s “Promoting Workers' Rights and Gender Equality at Work in Africa project in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and social partners, our project" has supported textile and garment factories with the establishment of daycare facilities, capacity building initiatives, and awareness-raising efforts on maternity protection, care policies and Sexual Reproductive and Health Rights (SRHR) for the youth and women workers in the factories.
Investing in the care economy creates jobs with decent work, reduces gender and intersecting inequalities, and enhances health and well-being. Moreover, the potential return on investment for economies and societies is indeed significant. Recent ILO assessments shows that; In Ethiopia, ambitious investments in the care economy, could generate almost 7 million jobs and substantially reduce inequalities.