A recent workshop in Sekota, Waghimra Zone of the Amhara Region, has highlighted a significant and encouraging trend: an increasing number of men and boys are actively embracing caregiving responsibilities within their households. This positive development emerged during a one-day review and training session conducted by the WE-Care team in May 2025, aimed at strengthening the capacity of women leaders from Self-Help Groups (SHGs).

SHGs, typically comprising up to 20 women, are vital community-level organizations instrumental in fostering women’s economic empowerment and raising awareness about unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW). The workshop served to review Oxfam’s ongoing efforts to integrate UCDW issues into community discussions and provided SHG leaders with essential knowledge and practical skills to further address these critical issues within their communities.

During the interactive session, SHG leaders shared compelling reports of growing male engagement in caregiving, indicating a positive shift in household dynamics. The workshop delved into key topics, including the 5Rs of UCDW (i.e., recognition, redistribution, reduction, representation, and reward), the intricate links between gender inequality and unpaid care work, and effective grassroots advocacy strategies, all reinforced by practical exercises.

Approximately 23 participants, including three men, from SHGs, local government, and civil society organizations, actively engaged in the session, demonstrating strong commitment from various community stakeholders. Following the successful workshop, the SHG leaders made a firm commitment to continue promoting the recognition and valuing of women’s unpaid care work among men and boys within their homes and through their SHG networks. This initiative underscores Oxfam’s ongoing technical support to community structures in the Amhara Region, fostering a more equitable distribution of caregiving responsibilities.