Mothers' right to work : assessing the relevance of childcare services to mothers employed in the formal sector in Kampala District

Abstract

This study was carried out with the overall objective being to assess the relevance of Formal childcare services in the promotion of the right to work of mothers employed in the formal sector in Kampala district. The study was carried out starting in January 2003 and ended in July 2004. The methodology used included both quantitative and qualitative methods for primary and secondary data. The study findings revealed that the main type of formal childcare Service offered in Kampala was in form of day care centers. Majority of formal childcare Service centers had existed for a short period, ranging between 0-5 years only. The largest Proportions of formal childcare centers were those that had a capacity for 20 children. Some divisions in Kampala District like Nakawa, followed by Central and Makindye had More childcare centers compared to other divisions like Kawempe and Rubaga. Formal Childcare services were generally adequate for the high-income level category of working Mothers, while services affordable to low-income earners were inadequate. Most childcare Providers had sufficient capacity to meet formal childcare demands in their locality. A Large proportion (57%) of working mothers using childcare services considered the Service affordable. The service was however considered generally expensive for low­ Income earners. The study found that CEDAW and the ILO Convention 156 on Workers with Family Responsibilities (1981) were the conventions with provisions on childcare Services although the language used in both conventions was weak and therefore not Suitable for effective implementation of the right to work. At national level (domestic), There are no laws with provisions on childcare services and therefore no right to childcare Provision can be claimed. However, some policy documents like The Government White Paper on Education (1992) provide some guidelines for provision of childcare services, Notably, these guidelines were tailored to ensure a quality service/education to be offered to children and no concern(s) related to mothers in employment are addressed. Many respondents acknowledged that formal childcare services were relevant and important to, working mothers. In addition, they offered safety and security for children while their mothers were at the workplace. A few people however, felt that formal childcare services could lead to an extent, a child being de-linked to their cultural norms (behaviour and language). In situations where formal childcare services were not available, most working mothers resorted to leaving their children at home with housemaids. Among the effects of non-availability of formal childcare services for working mothers, low concentration at work was the most common. It is therefore recommended that more types of formal affordable childcare services, besides daycare services be provided and be distributed evenly in the all division of Kampala. In addition, appropriate laws and policies should be put in place to ensure that mothers are provided with basic childcare services to support them to exercise their right to work. Collaboration and multi-sectoral approaches to the provision of childcare between should be strengthened. Government should also increase funding and support towards the pre-primary section of MOES that caters for childcare services, and establish model childcare centers. Supervision of formal childcare services should be made regular and more funding sources for formal childcare services should be identified among stakeholders. Besides this, Trade unions and Women's' rights advocacy groups should campaign, advocate, lobby and sensitize stakeholders on relevance of provision of basic formal childcare services. In addition, programmes for training and counseling housemaids on childcare issues need to be put in place, to compliment formal childcare services. Due to limitation in scope of the study, areas for further studies recommended include perceptions of employees and employers on childcare in the informal sector, childcare rights in rural areas, assessment of gender issues considered in current labour reforms, and a comparison of right to childcare in selected countries.