Experts advocate establishment of childcare facilities in Nigerian workplaces

In light of the ongoing conversation on gender equality and work-life balance, panellists at a webinar have called on the government and labour employers to prioritise women’s welfare by providing childcare facilities in workplaces.

The webinar, titled ‘Need for the Establishment of Childcare Facilities in Nigerian Workplaces’ was organised by Ijeoma Okereke-Adagba under the Report Women Champion Building Project of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), with support from the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID).

The event, which was held on 18th June 2024, had Charles Emmamuzuo Usie, Country Director, Plan Nigeria; Hassana Umoru Maina, Executive Founder, ASVIOL Support Initiative; Lilian Okonkwo Ogabu, Deputy National Chairperson, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) as panellists. Stephanie Adams-Douglas, a media development expert, moderated the session.

Gender equality and work-life balance are becoming increasingly vital in today’s workplaces. As women continue to face discrimination, organisations must be intentional in supporting women’s growth to enable them to break the glass ceiling.

A 2023 study revealed that 81% of women have declined work opportunities due to childcare responsibilities. The absence of accessible, affordable childcare options, among many other challenges, makes it difficult for them to balance motherhood and their careers, severely affecting their career progression.

During the programme, panellists shared their thoughts on steps the government and employers can take to make offices conducive for women, especially those with childcare responsibilities.

While speaking, Mr Usie noted that if women must work and have the ability to express themselves and pursue their careers, they must do that in a conducive, enabling, and supportive environment. According to him, this must be guided by policies and finance.

“When we talk about women and girls, we look at the full spectrum of what makes a woman effective, you know, and to thrive in the workplace”, he said.

“One of the budget lines in our annual budget is the cost of maintaining and sustaining a creche across our nine offices in Nigeria. Our maternity leave is six months with full-pay.

Mr Usie said his organisation covers the cost of travel, accommodation, and feeding for staff travelling with their babies on official trips.

“Women earn more travel allowances than men because we are aware that the conditions of work that will make a woman travel, whether she has children or not, is quite different from that of a man.”

Meanwhile, Mrs Maina pointed out that the workplace has been designed for men, and this capitalist system ensures a divide between work and the home and public and private space. According to her, where women are involved, these lines must cross.

“You cannot tell a pregnant woman to stay at home and not work again because of the pregnancy. She carries the pregnancy everywhere she goes.

“We must start to rethink how we think about work, and we must start to challenge the idea that the public space has no room for what happens in the private space”, she said.

Mrs Maina added that the government’s challenge is the need for coordination in policy implementation. If this is addressed, it would be easy to create a policy that mandates employers to establish nurseries or creches in their offices.

“When you ask women in the public sector whether they can access maternity leave, it’s always yes, but when you ask women in the private sector, it’s often not the same. Because at the end of the day, a business owner wants to make a profit.”

Lilian Ogabu said that many media houses lack childcare facilities, significantly impacting mothers in the newsroom. They constantly jog to breastfeed their babies while chasing breaking stories.

“Creating such facilities will boost the employee’s confidence and the organisation’s productivity.”

The convener, Mrs Okereke-Adagba, noted that the ‘motherhood dilemma’ has forced many women to remain in the same career position, as many women in the media struggle to rise to managerial positions.

“This event is for women in media and every career woman out there. I am advocating for better policies that would facilitate career progression for women, including increased maternity leave, paid maternity leave, provision of childcare facilities in our offices, better opportunities for development and flexible work arrangements where necessary.

“Only when women are put in positions of power can we develop better policies that affect us”, she said