Investing in Childcare for Women's Economic Empowerment

Two thirds of sub-Saharan Africa’s citizens depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. Women make up a large part of the agricultural workforce: in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), over 80 percent of women work in farming compared to 60 percent of men. However, women face a variety of constraints which limit the time they can devote to working or supervising farm labor and reduce the productivity of their plots. Increasing women’s agricultural productivity has the potential not only to improve their own economic status, but also to enhance economic growth and food security in their communities. The Gender Innovation Lab (GIL) used a combination of consultations in the field, desk research, and primary data collection to understand the patterns of time allocation in rural households in Western DRC, and to assess the factors to consider when designing effective interventions aimed at increasing women’s agricultural productivity