Providing childcare at work leads to higher motivation levels, improved performance, and higher staff retention rates, especially among female employees, some of ILO and UNICEF report findings in Egypt

The ILO in partnership with UNICEF supported the Federation of Egyptian Industries, through its Women in Business Unit (WiB) to undertake a study looking at different employer supported childcare options.

News | 17 October 2022
In partnership with the Federation for Egyptian Industries (FEI), the ILO and UNICEF launched the Study “A Business case for employer supported childcare in Egypt" on October 17th, 2022, in presence of the Minister of Social Solidarity.

The report shows that, providing childcare benefits and services at work most commonly lead to higher motivation levels, improved performance, and higher staff retention rates, especially among female employees. This in turn leads to higher profits and business growth. The report also calls for creating new partnerships and establishing public private networks to design and implement policies and services that guarantee child rights, women economic empowerment, and sustainable development.

The study was conducted to provide an evidence-based business case for the provision of employer-supported childcare services in the Egyptian private sector. The report launched also highlights the critical linkages between workforce access to early childhood care and development services and benefits, and the participation of women in the Egyptian labor force.

The launch witnessed the participation of H.E. Dr. Nivine El-Kabbag, Minister of Social Solidarity, Mr. Jeremy Hopkins, UNICEF Representative in Egypt, Mr. Eric Oechslin, Director of the Technical Decent Work Team for North Africa and Director of the ILO office in Egypt and Eritrea and Ms. Basma Osman, Senior Consultant at the Federation of Egyptian Industries. The report launch was followed by a joint panel discussion on the economic importance of nurseries for the private sector. Some 65 representatives of different concerned institutions, including government, academia, practitioners, and private sector companies engaged in a lively discussion.

This support to the FEI is provided in the framework of the Ministry of Social Solidarity and UNICEF’s Early Childhood Development programme and the ILO and UN Women’s joint project “Promoting Decent Employment for Women in Egypt, Jordan and Palestine” funded by SIDA. The Federation of Egyptian Industries - Egypt’s employers’ organization - represents 20 industrial chambers and 102,000 industrial enterprises, accounting for more than two million workers and 18% of the national economy.