In many parts of Africa, women often take on the majority of household and family responsibilities, which can limit their ability to find paid work. This is especially significant in regions where job opportunities are limited and underemployment is common. Supporting child care can help women by allowing them to work and by creating jobs in child care centers. In a report published in late September 2026, the World Bank reviewed policies in sub-Saharan Africa and noted the positive impact of public support for women's roles. According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), in 2025, 17.5 percent of active women in North Africa were unemployed, compared to 6.3 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. However, these figures don't include those who are underemployed or not in the labor market at all, often due to a lack of child care options. Across the continent, various programs have shown that child care services can help mothers find work or increase the income of those already employed. In Rwanda, child care is part of a national social protection program that provides public works opportunities. A World Bank report from June 2026 said this initiative created around 28,000 jobs for women annually, either in community centers or at home. These centers cared for over 72,000 young children in September 2025. In Kenya, a study in an informal neighborhood in Nairobi showed that offering child care vouchers increased the chances of employment for mothers by 8.5 percentage points compared to those who did not receive them. Published in the Demography journal in 2019, the study found that married women benefited the most. In Cape Verde, the government supports child care by helping families pay for these services and by training staff. They also regulate child care facilities through a licensing system. In Uganda, a study published in September 2026 found that child care services can help working women earn more. The research focused on 883 traders in Kampala, some of whom received free child care near their market or homes. Researchers observed that those who received child care had higher hourly earnings and worked fewer hours. This suggests that child care can help mothers make better use of their working time. However, long-term funding for these services remains a challenge. In the Ugandan study, the amount mothers were willing to pay for child care was much less than the actual cost. Researchers found that significant financial support would be needed for these services to be sustainable. Three months after the support ended, the positive economic effects on participants had disappeared. Funding must also cover the training and fair treatment of child care workers, as relying on unpaid or underpaid labor could worsen existing inequalities. In an analysis from May 2025, Firdous Khan from the South African Early Learning Resource Unit highlighted the need for more training, resources, and recognition for those who provide unpaid care. She recommended regular financial support for child care facilities, better training for staff, and extending social protection to these workers. These recommendations were supported at a regional child care conference in Sal, Cape Verde, in May 2025. Governments at the conference committed to creating national child care policies and increasing funding for early childhood care by 2030, while also promoting better jobs for women and young people. However, turning these commitments into lasting support for families and child care facilities remains a challenge, especially as the World Bank report notes that financial resources for governments are becoming tighter.