The dialogue on elder care in Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, and South Africa will inform policy decisions on services for elders and caregivers. In Benin and Togo, research on the value and impact of care work across gender, age, and income groups will guide policymaking efforts. These projects aim to change how unpaid care work is perceived and supported at the policy level in sub-Saharan Africa, promoting gender equality and social welfare.
Launched in July 2023, Scaling Care Innovations in Africa is a five-year, CAD25-million partnership between Global Affairs Canada and IDRC. With the addition of these projects, the initiative now supports 19 research teams in 15 countries, with nine focusing on policy solutions and ten on program-based solutions.
The initiative employs the triple “R” framework – recognize, reduce, and redistribute – to address unpaid care work. Policy projects aim to embed the acknowledgment of care work in national frameworks, budgets, and laws to drive structural changes. Program projects implement practical solutions at the community level to lessen the care burden through time-saving technologies, improved services, and shifts in social norms.
Source: idrc-crdi.ca…
