Integration of Climate Action and Gender Equality in Strategic Plan Implementation (078)

Context

Uthabiti Africa recognizes the vital role women, particularly caregivers, play in addressing climate change across Africa; climate resilient childcare and education services and infrastructure require women’s, parents’ and childcare workers’ leadership in identifying the challenges and developing and implementing climate solutions. Women, youth, and children—those most affected by climate change—must lead the development of gender-responsive, evidence-based, and climate-resilient childcare solutions. These are particularly critical for vulnerable groups such as teenage and young mothers, domestic workers, and caregivers in informal settlements, where services may cost as little as USD 0.30 per day.

To address these issues, Uthabiti Africa is partnering with Governments and non-state actors to develop the childcare ecosystem and catalyse systemic change in how society addresses the childcare crisis in Kenya and countries in the region (e.g. Malawi, Ghana, Uganda, Tanzania, etc.) facing similar policy and regulatory inefficiencies in the sector. This includes tackling the limited understanding of the intersections between climate change, caregiving, women’s empowerment and climate leadership. Uthabiti Africa has consistently championed policy reforms, built the Network of Women in Childcare in Kenya and developed the regional Collaborative Action for Childcare (CAC) platform to advance collective action and impact within the childcare ecosystem across Africa.

Goal of TA

Building on Uthabiti Africa’s experience in Kenya, the technical assistance seeks to enhance its capacity in climate leadership and advocacy within the childcare sector, both nationally and regionally. The technical assistance aims to:

1. Address barriers limiting women’s and caregivers’ participation in climate-related decision-making within the care economy;
2. Raise awareness among legislators, policy-makers, and planners on the need for gender-responsive climate solutions in childcare;
3. Scale climate action and advocacy through platforms such as the CAC.

CAA Technical Assistance

The technical assistance will directly benefit Uthabiti Africa by enhancing its knowledge and skills in integrating climate change, gender equality, and women’s economic empowerment into the implementation of its Strategic Plan. This effort aligns with Kenya’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC2) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) in the region by contributing to women’s and children’s climate resilience as well as health (children’s mental and physical wellbeing and climate resilience), and infrastructure (e.g., childcare/early childhood education facilities).

It will also empower women to engage in sectors such as renewable energy by supporting climate-resilient childcare systems that reduce caregiving burdens. The deployment will also strengthen the capacity of Uthabiti Africa’s partners—including sub-national governments, civil society organizations, and community-based groups—to support gender-responsive climate solutions.

Ultimately, the initiative benefits caregivers, children, youth, and households vulnerable to climate change across Kenya and the region, in addition to their households and communities, who benefit from the skills and knowledge gained and improved relevant policy, planning, and regulatory frameworks.

Objectives: Specifically, the technical assistance deployment will:

1. Conduct a rapid capacity needs assessment with Uthabiti Africa staff to identify strengths and gaps to inform the development of participatory training and accompanying materials. This includes reviewing, with Uthabiti Africa staff, the organization’s Strategic Plan’s four strategic pillars: (i) Childcare laws, policy, and regulatory reforms; (ii) Women in childcare; (iii) Maternal and child health; and (iv) Knowledge management, learning, and collaboration and mapping opportunities to integrate climate change and gender equality.
2. Develop, organize, and deliver participatory training for Uthabiti Africa staff, Board members and CAC affiliates to strengthen their understanding of climate leadership and advocacy, particularly among women and caregivers.
3. Design and test community-level training for childcare workers (childcare champions) in one location in Kenya as a follow-up to the staff training.
4. Facilitate a three-day write-shop with Uthabiti Africa staff to co-develop a costed concept note/proposal that can be adapted for various funding opportunities to scale climate, gender, and childcare capacity-building efforts.