The lLO and WIEGO Policy Brief Series explores how universal, publicly funded and quality childcare services, as part of social protection systems, can improve the lives and economic security of women workers in the informal economy, support their transition to the formal economy and promote gender equality at work. The first of this three-part series focuses on the constraints faced by women workers in the informal economy in balancing childcare and earning an income and the importance of investing in the care economy. The second brief highlights relevant international legal instruments conducive to ensuring maternity protection and childcare services for all women workers. The final brief in this series provides policy lessons from country experiences in addressing the needs of workers in the informal economy, ensuring quality childcare, and promoting decent working conditions for childcare workers.

Policy Brief 1. Quality childcare services for workers in the informal economy
ILO and WIEGO Policy Brief No.1 examines the challenges women workers in the informal economy face in simultaneously managing caring for their young children and earning an income. This brief highlights key facts and figures on women workers in the informal economy, and provides insights on the impact of care responsibilities on women workers’ income security and economic opportunities. Additionally, the brief presents an analysis of the role of policies aimed at reconciling work and family, such as childcare services and parental leave, in supporting women’s labour force participation and creating decent work opportunities. This brief also examines the prevalence of informal employment in the childcare sector. Conclusively, the brief makes a strong case for investing in care policies to promote a redistribution, with the State, of the unpaid care work done primarily by women.

Policy Brief 2. Labour and human rights frameworks promoting childcare for all workers
ILO and WIEGO Policy Brief No. 2 presents the relevant international human rights and labour standards frameworks supporting the realization of social protection – specifically maternity protection and childcare services for all women workers. This brief also highlights relevant frameworks for preventing discrimination against women in the labour force, and how the aforementioned legal entitlements have translated into relevant policies such as early childhood development and education (ECDE) policy frameworks. Member-based worker’s organizations can use these legal instruments as the basis for their demands for quality universal childcare provision and decent working conditions for childcare workers and domestic workers. The briefs makes a strong case for investing in and promoting more and quality childcare jobs.

Policy Brief 3. Extending childcare services to workers in the informal economy: Policy lessons from country experiences
ILO and WIEGO Policy Brief No. 3 presents an overview of the constraints faced by women in the informal economy in accessing quality childcare services, followed by a new typology of childcare services available to workers in the informal economy and their young children between 0-3 years old. Case studies from the Global South are highlighted to illustrate the strengths and areas of improvement for each type of childcare service provision modality. The brief draws on the selected case studies to provide policy lessons to extend quality childcare services that meet the needs of women workers in the informal economy, ensure quality care for young children, and offer decent working conditions for childcare workers. State responsibility and public financing, universal social protection systems, pathways to formalization, the voice of workers and collective bargaining are some of priority areas for action.