Childcare challenges in Bangladesh impact workforce participation, survey finds

A recent survey revealed that 54 per cent of parents in Bangladesh identify childcare as a critical factor influencing their workforce participation, with inadequate childcare facilities disproportionately affecting women.

The findings were presented during the launch of the Roadmap for Childcare in Bangladesh on Sunday.

The study, shared by Abu Eusuf, executive director of Research and Policy Integration for Development (RAPID), highlighted that insufficient childcare options led to a decline in job performance for 34 per cent of respondents, while 18 per cent had to quit their jobs, and 13 per cent declined job offers. Women with children under six years old are especially affected, with 19 per cent of urban women in this group out of the workforce.

Traditional gender roles further compound the issue, as 72 per cent of surveyed parents believe that mothers should be the primary caregivers.

ILO Bangladesh country director Tuomo Poutiainen said Asia and the Pacific the responsibility of the childcare is one of the main barriers for women to enter and remain in the workforce. 

"Bangladesh can't afford to lose women from the labour force and child care is one of issues that needs to be addressed," he noted.

Roadmap for childcare unveiled

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA), with technical support from the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and research input from RAPID, unveiled a 10-year roadmap to develop an accessible, affordable, and quality childcare system.

The roadmap outlines a phased approach:

• Within two years: Strengthen governance, raise awareness about childcare, and recognise childcare as skilled work. This includes improving wages, safety, and training for childcare workers.
• Within five years: Expand childcare coverage, enhance worker skills, and improve the quality of early childhood care and education (ECCE) services, including mandatory certifications for health and safety.
• Within ten years: Fully implement a nationwide plan meeting international standards, establish childcare as a recognised profession, and ensure equitable wages, social protection, and safe working conditions.

The roadmap also proposes addressing financing gaps through the National Social Security Strategy (NSSS) and other policy tools to ensure equitable cost distribution for childcare services.

Senior Secretary of MoWCA, Mamtaz Ahmed, launched the roadmap at a city hotel event attended by key stakeholders, including Keya Khan, Director General of the Department of Women Affairs, and Farooq Ahmed, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation.

The initiative aims to improve women's workforce participation by addressing the critical childcare gaps in Bangladesh.

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