Save the Children Canada

Published purpose

The project supports the empowerment of women paid childcare workers in Mozambique’s early childhood development sector. Project activities include: (1) developing and training paid childcare workers in gender-responsive and inclusive childcare; (2) piloting compensation schemes in targeted early childhood development centres; (3) organizing sessions on positive parenting and father engagement and coalition campaigns for local communities; (4) delivering feminist leadership training to parents, caregivers and community members; and (5) conducting feminist research to support evidence-based advocacy, to increase government officials’ knowledge on rights of paid childcare workers. It also provides technical support to advance and implement care-related national policies. Forum Mulher, an umbrella organization of 35 women’s rights organizations across Mozambique, co-implements the project. The project will benefit an estimated 122 community-level early childhood centres in Gaza province. Overall, the project will benefit close to 5,000 paid childcare workers (98% women) and over 3,000 parents, caregivers, community members, gender equality champions and duty-bearers such as members of parliament, ministry staff and local authorities. The impact of the project extends nationally beyond the target province of Gaza through policy and advocacy efforts. It also positively impacts the quality of care provided in early childhood development centres in targeted areas, indirectly benefiting girls and boys who use these services.