On October 7-8, 2024, the Hewlett Foundation, in collaboration with consultants from ITAD, convened a crucial outcome harvesting workshop with the WE-Care team. This two-day intensive session focused on strategies for advancing economic and gender equality through increased support for unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW).

The workshop brought together nine dedicated colleagues from WE-Care’s partner organizations, including the Association of Women in Agriculture-Kenya, Youth Alive! Kenya, Uganda Women’s Network, Bekezela HBC, Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, Padare Men’s Forum, and African Leadership Foundation, alongside representatives from Oxfam country offices and the Program Management Unit. The primary objective was to identify and analyze the critical outcomes achieved by WE-Care, meticulously examining the strategies and challenges encountered on their path to success.

Pivotal achievements under the spotlight

The workshop centered on two significant achievements that highlight WE-Care’s impactful work:

1. Increased commitment and investment in UCDW by public and private sector institutions: Public and private sector institutions have demonstrated a strengthened commitment to addressing unpaid care and domestic work. This crucial shift is evident through reforms in policy, practice, and budgetary allocations. By investing in care work, these institutions are acknowledging its vital role in fostering economic and social development, particularly concerning gender equity.
2. Shifting public opinions and narratives to acknowledge UCDW as an economic, development, and gender equality issue: Society’s understanding of unpaid care and domestic work is evolving, with greater recognition of its economic, developmental, and gender equality dimensions. The workshop highlighted efforts to reshape public opinion, emphasizing that UCDW is essential to achieving inclusive development.

Participants deeply explored the processes and strategies that contributed to these outcomes, including robust stakeholder engagement, impactful advocacy campaigns, and data-driven approaches that informed policy reforms and awareness initiatives. Key actions that spurred these changes included collaborations with policymakers, broad public awareness campaigns, and targeted funding.

Navigating challenges and sustaining momentum

The workshop also shed light on persistent challenges, ranging from limited resources and societal resistance to change to the ongoing need for continuous advocacy and sustained stakeholder engagement. Addressing these challenges remains essential as the WE-Care team works to maintain its momentum.

As the WE-Care team continues to advance its mission, the Hewlett Foundation’s outcome harvesting workshop serves as an invaluable platform for reflection and learning. By recognizing achievements and refining strategies, WE-Care continues to pave the way for a future where unpaid care and domestic work are acknowledged and supported as essential components of gender equality and sustainable development. This unwavering commitment to transforming care work policies and perceptions underscores WE-Care’s pivotal role in building a more inclusive and equitable world.