BY MUNYARADZI BLESSING DOMA
Zimbabwe is joining Kenya and Benin in efforts to advance care economy reforms, through participation in the 2026 National Transfer Accounts (NTA) Africa Conference on Population and Development to be held in Saly, Senegal, from July 28 to 30.
A high-level three-country delegation comprising representatives from the Parliament of Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission, Kenya’s Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage, and Members of Parliament from Benin will attend the conference.
The delegation is part of the #AfricaCaresForHer project being implemented by the Women’s Academy for Leadership and Political Excellence (WALPE Zimbabwe), WowMom (Kenya) and Le Consortium Régional en Économie Générationnelle (CREG-Benin), with support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and Global Affairs Canada.
According to a press release, the initiative reflects “a shared commitment to advancing evidence-based policies on unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW) in Zimbabwe, Benin and Kenya.”
The press release adds that the conference comes at a critical time for the recognition of care work across Africa, with countries making progress in developing policies and legal frameworks on unpaid care and domestic work.
It notes that Kenya has made significant progress by adopting a National Care Policy, providing what it describes as “an important model for the region.”
The press release also adds that Zimbabwe continues to lead advocacy efforts in Southern Africa, with a Parliamentary motion on unpaid care and domestic work already moved, while the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare has expressed its readiness to develop and advance the necessary policy and legislative framework.
“These milestones demonstrate growing political commitment to recognising care work as a public good that deserves public investment.”
In Benin, advocacy efforts are continuing to build momentum towards the development of a comprehensive legal and policy framework on unpaid care and domestic work in Parliament.
To further strengthen these gains and accelerate policy reform, the #AfricaCaresForHer consortium will host a side event on the margins of the NTA Conference in Senegal.
The press release says the event will bring together policymakers from across Africa to share strategies, challenges and lessons learnt in advancing legal and policy reforms on unpaid care and domestic work.
