Africa Conference on Childcare

MAKING HEADLINES

Africa Holds First-Ever Continental Childcare Conference in Addis Ababa. Read More…

The African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the African Early Childhood Network (AfECN) is  co- convening the Continental Childcare Conference , to be held in Addis Ababa 18th -20th June 2025, under the theme Building Partnerships for Accelerating Action towards Quality & Inclusive Childcare in Africa.

Scientific evidence has enhanced understanding of early brain development and the importance of childcare, in the early formative period (0-3 years). Expanding quality childcare yields numerous benefits at various levels: it influences the cognitive, social, and emotional development of young children, it allows women, to participate effectively in the labour force thereby enhancing women's economic empowerment while improving household income and financial stability and enables older siblings to focus on  their education instead of providing care to their young siblings. At societal level, quality childcare leads to greater workforce participation and therefore enhanced productivity. Despite these benefits, there remains a concerning lack of access to quality childcare services, particularly in low and lower-middle-income. According to the World Bank , approximately 350 million children below-school-entry age need but have no access to quality affordable childcare.

The Africa Conference on Childcare is being organized to consolidate ongoing efforts in childcare, among AU Member States and to elevate these conversations to a regional platform for more reach. The convening will provide a platform to showcase the gains made so far, draw lessons from the implementation of childcare initiatives and national dialogues, enable the actors to network and learn from one another and to create a platform for conceptualization of a contextually relevant framework for operationalizing childcare services on the continent.

The conference  will bring together a diverse group of regional and national actors including policy makers, researchers, CSOs, academia, funders, Childcare practitioners, government ministries, agencies and partners. By attending and participating in this conference, you will join and interact with leading experts and stakeholders, providing exciting opportunities to exchange, learn and network.