Oxfam Canada

Published purpose

Through this 33-month systemic change project, Oxfam Canada, in partnership with the Pacific Immigrant Resources Society and Child Care Now, will scale up the Inclusive Child Care for All project to advance underrepresented women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles in Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) advocacy. The project will build the capacity of not-for-profit organizations serving underrepresented communities to advocate for a universal early learning and child care system. Oxfam Canada will engage existing advocacy networks and connect with new organizations across the Pacific, Prairies, Ontario, and Atlantic regions. Oxfam Canada and its partners will also convene organizations that serve underrepresented women to facilitate their active participation in policy discussions and advocacy initiatives. The organization will also develop and implement communication strategies to make the general public more aware of the positive impact of early learning and child care on the economic security of underrepresented groups of women, and identify and promote policy options to advance inclusion in ELCC. The supplemental funding will allow the organization to create a coordinated communication campaign, highlighting the impact of childcare policies on gender equity and family well-being; as well as addressing the need for further improvements to ensure equitable access for low and middle-income families, remote/rural communities, and children/parents with disabilities. The additional supplemental funding will allow the organization to further support its objectives to reduce systemic barriers to participation and support community-based advocacy and capacity development among underrepresented women across Canada through its Child Care for All Summit. With supplemental funding and extension provided in early 2026, Oxfam Canada, in partnership with Child Care Now and the Pacific Immigrant Resources Society, will strengthen the sector’s knowledge and advocacy capacity while amplifying the lived experiences of women from equity-deserving groups to safeguard and advance Canada’s universal Early Learning and Child Care (ELCC) system. Over 12 months, the project will produce an equity-focused economic research report, and a public ELCC Scorecard to track progress towards inclusion and universal ELCC access, host cross-sector roundtables, direct policymaker engagement and dialogue sessions with women from equity-deserving communities, and amplify voices through a regional speaking tour, digital awareness campaign, and quarterly virtual network meetings. These activities will advance equitable access, protect affordability, and strengthen women’s leadership and advocacy, positioning ELCC as essential infrastructure for women’s economic security and gender equality. Through this they will further advance Gender Equality.