By Laura Addati, ILO Policy Specialist
For me, August means juggling the demands of school holiday childcare with those of my paid employment. Really, it’s like having two jobs; both rewarding and time-consuming, both with responsibilities.
Perhaps it’s only when we have children or other loved ones who need care, that we really recognize the value of unpaid care work. Continue reading
Let me tell you briefly the stories of Afia and Melba.
Afia gets up every day at 5 a.m. to fetch water from a well two miles away from her farm in Djanipe (Togo) to prepare a family meal before going off to her farming or trading activities When she comes back home in the evening, she is too tired to play with her two children, aged four and two.
Soglo, her husband, works shorter hours and does not participate in childcare or household chores. They have been hit hard by the lack of rainfall and are constantly struggling to make ends meet. Continue reading
Work In Progress 