I-7 Is there collaboration with other agencies of the United Nations System or other partners?
No
II-1 Justification of the initiative
The garment and textiles sector in Ethiopia is highly feminized, with women comprising over 80 per cent of the workforce. Despite this, women remain significantly underrepresented in the broader labour market. In 2023, Ethiopia’s female labour force participation rate lagged 27.1 percentage points behind that of men, and the gender pay gap stood at 31.7 per cent.Women also shoulder a disproportionate share of unpaid care work. In Ethiopia, in 2018, women spent an average of 4.85 hours per day on unpaid care work compared to 2.08 hours for men. Structural barriers, including occupational segregation, limited access to leadership roles, and the "motherhood penalty”, continue to impede gender equality. These challenges were further intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic, which exposed and deepened existing inequalities. This context underscored the urgent need for targeted action.
II-10 Focus on other branches of economic activity
Manufacturing industries
II-10 Focus on other branches of economic activity
Education
II-10 Focus on other branches of economic activity
Human health and social work activities
II-11 Focus on certain categories of enterprises or economic units according to their size
Small enterprises
II-11 Focus on certain categories of enterprises or economic units according to their size
Medium enterprises
II-11 Focus on certain categories of enterprises or economic units according to their size
Social enterprises
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Employees
II-12 Focus on specific status in employment
Employers
II-13 Focus on other specific categories of workers and employers, not captured elsewhere
Childcare workers (for children ages 0-start of primary school)
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Women
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Men
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Mothers
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Fathers
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Persons with other care responsibilities
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Pregnant women
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
Young people
II-14 Focus on specific groups of population / persons prioritized in the initiative
People with disabilities
II-15 Has the initiative been developed through effective social dialogue processes and inter-institutional coordination mechanisms?
Yes, through social dialogue
II-2 Objectives and description of the initiative
This initiative aimed to design and pilot Care@Work interventions (e.g. maternity protection, parental leave policies, breastfeeding and childcare services at the workplace) at the factory level in Ethiopia’s garment and textiles sector, with the goal of introducing or strengthening care-responsive workplace policies and services. These included provisions such as maternity and paternity leave and access to childcare facilities. By embedding care considerations into the workplace, the initiative aimed to: Ensure that workers with family responsibilities receive the support they need to balance paid work and caregiving duties;Improve retention of skilled workers in the sector by fostering more inclusive and supportive work environments; Promote gender equality by addressing structural barriers that disproportionately affect women at work; Advance decent work for childcare personnel by improving working conditions and promoting professional recognition; and Ensure that children had access to safe and nurturing care spaces. Through these efforts, the initiative contributes to broader goals of promoting decent work, gender equality, and sustainable development in Ethiopia’s garment industry.
II-3 Type of initiative
Project / pilot intervention
II-3 Type of initiative
Workplace initiative
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid care
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Reward care workers
II-4 Which of the Rs in the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work guides this initiative?
Representation of care workers
II-5 Which is the main policy area of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Care policies
II-6 Which other policy areas of the 5R Framework for Decent Care Work does the practice focus on?
Labour Protection policies
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Formalization of informal care jobs and enterprises
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Promoting active labour market policies, education and training, upskilling and re-skilling, skills recognition and skills certification
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Addressing the undervaluation of care work by raising public awareness
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Addressing the unequal gender distribution of paid and unpaid work, and promoting women’s economic inclusion and autonomy beyond caregiving
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Work-life balance policies and measures, including organization, time and location of work, and other terms and conditions of employment
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Create an enabling and conducive environment for sustainable enterprises and SSE entities
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Invest in and make available high-quality, affordable, adequate and accessible care services, including childcare, health care and long-term care
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Policies and strategies on working time, wages, and occupational safety and health, including preventing and addressing violence and harassment
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and SSE entities that deliver quality care services
II-7 Which policies or measures to advance decent work in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Promoting the voice and representation of, and consulting with, care worker organizations, organizations of employers of care workers and unpaid family carers
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Unpaid carers (workers or persons with care responsibilities, parents, other family members, etc.)
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Paid care workers (nurses, domestic workers, teachers, childcare workers, personal assistants, etc.)
II-8 Which beneficiaries in the care economy does the practice focus on?
Care recipients (children, older persons, persons with disabilities, etc.)
II-9 Geographical scope
Urban
III-1 In a short paragraph, summarize the main results and impacts obtained
The project, in collaboration with Partnership for Change (PfC), implemented impactful initiatives in Ethiopia’s garment sector, particularly in advancing women’s empowerment and child development. Tailor-made tools were piloted across four factories to strengthen workplace capacities in key areas such as maternity protection, sexual and reproductive health and rights, family responsibilities, and collective bargaining. A total of 216 workers (132 women and 84 men) participated in these training sessions, with 99.4 per cent rating the content as highly relevant to their needs. As part of the initiative’s care-responsive approach, workplace childcare centers were successfully established in two factories (Yirgalem Addis Textile and Ethio Impact), serving 29 children and staffed by trained caregivers. These interventions translated into concrete outcomes: 20 women were able to return to work, including a highly skilled operator whose absence had previously required five workers to fill her role. Notably, three male workers began using the Yirgalem Addis childcare facility to support their spouses’ employment outside the factory, marking a positive shift toward shared care responsibilities and signalling progress toward gender equality. To ensure long-term impact and scalability, business plans and sustainability strategies were co-developed with each participating factory, embedding care-responsive practices into the fabric of workplace operations.
III-2 Explanation of the innovative element of the initiative for advancing decent work in the care economy
The development of tailor-made tools for the sector and each factory as well as business plans to guarantee the sustainability of the childcare services that were established.
IV-1 What were the main challenges or difficulties during the design and implementation? How were they faced/ addressed?
The main challenges were the short project timeframe (18 months) and limited resources. However, with the Gender Technical Advisory Committee (GTAC), the national project steering committee with representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Skills, Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ministry of Industry, as well as the Confederation of Ethiopian Employers’ Association and the Confederation of Ethiopian Trade Unions, the work was able to propel from early on in the project, and connections to factories of interest to tripartite constituents were done swiftly.
IV-2 Lessons learned and good practices, including room and opportunities for improvement
The project highlighted valuable lessons and promising practices, with some areas for improvement. A tripartite approach effectively engaged government bodies (MoSA, MoI, MoLS) and social partners (CETU, CEEA, Textile and Garment Federation), fostering collaboration and ownership throughout the planning and implementation. The Gender Technical Advisory Committee (GTAC) played a crucial role in guiding decisions and strengthening stakeholder involvement. Emphasizing tangible outcomes, such as establishing daycare centers, was particularly impactful, gaining strong stakeholder support.
IV-3 Key conditions for success
The project partnered with Partnership for Change (PfC), an organization specializing in early childhood care and education, which significantly contributed to its success.Working with multiple stakeholders and experts was also an important enabling success factor.Flexibility was another key strength; working within budget constraints to meet the requests of constituents.Stakeholder engagement and interest in the project was of utmost importance. It was clear that the stakeholders found the main objectives of the project to be impactful.
IV-4 Key conditions for sustainability
To create conditions for sustainability, stakeholder engagement was the foundation of each and every step. Furthermore, childcare centres were only opened where employers were interested and committed to paying the salary of the childcare workers. Lastly, sustainability and upscaling plans were prepared for factories, in collaboration with them. The results of the pilots were also leveraged to promote the reform of maternity leave legislation in line with the Maternity Protection Convention, No. 183 (2000) and related Recommendation. The ratification of this instrument was also promoted.
IV-5 Potential for transferability, expansion and replicability in other countries and contexts
This promising practice has a high level of transferability and replicability, as long as there is stakeholder interest and engagement. This is because this practice can be implemented in countries at different levels of development. However, some capacity in building and maintaining childcare centres should be present in the country.
V-1 Sources of information and documents used on the characteristics of the initiative, including links to websites, news items, toolkits, policy documents or reports
Workplace Daycare centers ensure mothers enter the workforce and continue workingCare at Work in Ethiopia's Garment SectorPromoting Care at Work in EthiopiaILO-supported daycare transforms lives of working mothers in Addis Ababa
V-2 Contact information of ILO focal point
Blen Tilahun Demissie, National Project Coordinator ([email protected])
VI-1 Title and Description
Workplace childcare facilities allowed me to thriveWhen I had children, I had to stop working to take care of my family. But managing with only my husband’s income was extremely difficult. A job vacancy at a garment factory with a newly opened childcare centre, gave me an unexpected opportunity to return to work.