Provision of childcare services to women entrepreneurs will unlock their potential, says Minister Amongi

The Minister for Gender, Betty Amongi has emphasized the need to give childcare services to women entrepreneurs as one of the ways to remove barriers hindering their development

Speaking during a high-level dialogue on childcare under the theme, "Childcare and Women Entrepreneurship,” at Motiv in Kampala, Amongi said provision of childcare is critical in unlocking the full productivity and business potential of women entrepreneurs in Uganda.

“If we want women to start businesses, if we want their businesses to grow, in addition to increasing access to affordable financing, we should similarly address the barriers that hinder this progress. And we must do both at the same time,” Amongi said.

“When we address the unique challenges that women entrepreneurs face, we empower them to grow their business ventures while also balancing personal priorities like their children's safety and their own well-being.”

She explained that access to childcare services to women entrepreneurs, one of the barriers to their competitiveness, giving them the freedom to identify new markets, innovate, and build networks that fuel business growth is removed.

“ This approach not only enhances their entrepreneurial potential but also fosters a more inclusive and dynamic business environment. “

Amongi said the ministry has identified the absence of national standards for the establishment and management of childcare facilities for children below three years as a critical element that needs to be tackled.

She committed to ensuring these standards are put in place to guide investments and interventions.

The deputy Speaker of Parliament,  Thomas Tayebwa said with supportive childcare infrastructure, women’s labour force participation could significantly increase, empowering them to contribute even more robustly to national productivity.

“I have witnessed first-hand, the enormous daily demands on women entrepreneurs. From early mornings with a child-on-the-back, trekking long distances with produce and other goods, to late nights with a child-in-hand. From enthusiastic start-ups to tearful closures. In all these experiences, however, I have also witnessed the patience, resilience, never-give-up attitude of our women entrepreneurs. It is no wonder that in most of our communities today, women have taken on, and fulfilled responsibilities traditionally assigned to men.  There is evidence that subsidizing childcare costs results into increase in profitability of women owned enterprises,”Tayebwa said.

The deputy speaker said  a lot of focus has been on child care for children aged 3 and above and that most of this is provided by the private sector but noted this presents an opportunity to the executive and the legislature as well as the private sector to pay even more attention to the burden for children below 3 years of age.

Tayebwa hailed government and the World Bank for the GROW project that he said through its effort to skill women, provide affordable credit and gender sensitive infrastructure (including child care) will improve awareness and incomes of women entrepreneurs to in turn be able to afford child care facilities in their localities including those employed in the informal sector .

“Through this project, we will strategically achieve wins for women, their children, gender equality and our economy. To fully guarantee these wins, however, we must be deliberate, pragmatic and highly accountable. We must track each individual beneficiary and their business, assessing regularly the actual change in employment, productivity and profitability.”