For over a decade, the Women’s Economic Empowerment and Care (WE-Care) Program has championed the critical role of unpaid care and domestic work (UCDW) at national, regional, and global levels. In collaboration with partner organizations and Oxfam teams, WE-Care has effectively highlighted the political, economic, social, and environmental value of UCDW and advocated for its inclusion in policy frameworks. This focus on UCDW aims to achieve gender equality and enable women’s participation in socioeconomic and political spheres.

A celebratory learning event was held from August 5 to 8, 2024, at the Onomo Hotel in Kampala, Uganda. Teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, the Africa Regional platform, and partner organizations convened to mark the first-year milestone of WE-Care Phase V.

The aim of this meeting was not only to acknowledge achievements but also to engage stakeholders in a critical reflection on the program’s journey thus far. By addressing challenges and opportunities encountered in Year 1, the event fostered collaboration in developing strategies to propel WE-Care into a more impactful movement to dismantle the inequities of UCDW, paving the way for a truly inclusive and equitable society where African women and girls, in all their diversities, do not just survive but also thrive.

This face-to-face learning event served as a crucial touch point within the WE-Care learning journey. It fostered ongoing connection among teams throughout the project cycle, enabling real-time integration of lessons learned into the current program phase. Specifically, the learning event aimed to:

• Celebrating wins and unpacking gems (exploring lessons learned and milestones): We shared our triumphs and delved into the incredible achievements of WE-Care Phase 5.1, uncovering the valuable insights gained along the way.
• Leveling up for regional/global impact (capacity strengthening for AU engagement): We continued working with all change-makers, equipping WE-Care country teams and partners with the skills and strategies to bolster advocacy at the AU level. We joined forces to elevate the WE-Care movement on a global and regional scale and co-created the WE-Care Advocacy plan to ensure its alignment with the plans scheduled for the phase starting in September 2024.
• Reimagining WEE in the new era (exploring WEE and care): The world is changing, and WE-Care is evolving! We dove into the future of WEE and care work within a feminist, decolonial context, exploring how to adapt our work to ensure women’s care work is valued and supported, building a more just and equitable society.
• Setting the record straight and planning (improving our ways of working): We agreed on the reporting guidelines for Phase 5.1, developed an operational plan for Phase 5.2, defined better ways of working, and shared best practices in MEL, communications, and finance. We also developed modalities for using the institutional capacity strengthening grant to ensure the effective addressing of identified gaps within our institutions, learning from each other, documenting processes, and utilizing gained knowledge and skills for institutional growth and development.

The learning event included presentations from government and program stakeholders, interactive group discussions, and opportunities for participants to share experiences related to the program’s core objectives.

In attendance were 46 participants who included teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, along with the Africa Regional platform and the WE-Care Program Management Unit (PMU). Government representatives also graced the occasion. Key sessions also included online participants who shared their knowledge and experiences through interactive discussions.

Download the meeting report here for more details.