Results achieved at the end of the project (March 2023) include: Rwanda, Senegal and South Africa:(1) successfully reached local stakeholders, community and leaders on the need to address care work (except in South Africa). National and local government representatives increased their understanding of the disproportionate share of unpaid care work done by women and girls who gained access to country-specific assessments. They also received guidance on how to support recognizing, reducing and redistributing care work more equitable within the family and the community; and (2) 26 sustainable cooperative-operated childcare and Early Childhood Development (ECD) facilities and services piloted in Senegal and Rwanda, 4 more than expected across all 3 countries (South Africa could not implement this component). Strengthened capacity of women’s cooperatives and other organizations to promote transformative care services in rural or urban areas. Also promoted advocacy to engage governments, leaders, and men on the need to redistribute care work. Enabled access for 5,623 women to care services in rural or urban areas (exceeding the target of 4,700). Increased access for 3000 women to timesaving, climate-resilient infrastructure, or technologies. 19 women’s cooperatives and other organisations increased capacity to deliver sustainable energy or water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services in Rwanda and Senegal overachieving expectations across most indicators under expected result 2; Rwanda: (1) 339 opinion and traditional leaders attended the national dialogue on care, and 60 local actors (academia, non-state and government, including Directors of Planning), gained access to the knowledge products produced by the program. Increased awareness among community members, leaders, men, and boys about unpaid care. 400 households-initiated action to reduce and redistribute unpaid care work. 200 couples or households received training on gender transformative approaches engaging men in care work. The project achieved timesaving from women’s care work while their labour force participation increased, according to the national study; and (2) 4 women’s cooperatives and other organizations increased capacity to provide care services in rural or urban areas. 623 mothers and 88 teen mothers accessed childcare. 4 Early Childhood Development Centers (ECDs) opened or renovated to benefit women (the success of ECDs piloted at women coops became a good practice applied by other projects). Successfully increased awareness of 421 community members, including opinion leaders, men and boys of the disproportionate share of unpaid care work by women and girls. 2817 women increased access to timesaving, climate-resilient infrastructure; Senegal: (1) 9 national or provincial laws or policies or guidelines developed or adjusted to recognize and address unpaid care work by women and girls. 14 policy dialogues successfully reached 190 local authority representatives and traditional leaders who demonstrated greater understanding of the issue and how to address it; and (2) target overachieved with 22 cooperative-operated childcare facilities and increased capacity for women’s cooperatives to provide care services. Strengthened capacity of women’s cooperatives and other organizations to advocate for care work on the need to recognize, reduce and redistribute care work by engaging men, governments and leaders. 17,004 women accessed care services. Implemented a pilot to reduce income insecurities related to unpaid care for rural women and 2074 rural women increased knowledge on accessing insurance solutions to address unpaid care risks; South Africa: (1) successfully reached 50 governmental and multisector stakeholders through advocacy and policy dialogues strengthening awareness about the need to address care work at both the local and national levels. A call for action issued by United Nations Women and the Department of Women, Youth and People with Disabilities urging for gender-responsive, women-centred recovery that fully recognizes the value of care work for shaping and transforming economies and societies; and (2) South Africa could not implement this component due to perceived risks related to a local partner, the funding for expected result 2 reallocated for program activities in the other 2 countries. This was due to new political leadership following municipal elections 2021, delaying programme implementation and ceasing support for establishing the National Steering Committee. The COVID-19 Omicron variant also challenged program implementation due to severe restrictions of movement limiting activities in the country.
