Unlocking childcare to benefit women, children and the broader society. A review of the South Africa
| When: | Thursday, 14 August 2025 - Thursday, 14 August 2025 |
| Where: | SCIS Lecture Theatre, North Lodge, Parktown Management Campus, 2 St David’s Place & St Andrew Rd, Parktown |
| Start time: | 12:30 |
| Enquiries: | For more information contact: athenkosi.pono@wits.ac.za
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| RSVP: |
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SCIS Seminars
About the speaker:
Lerato Shai is an independent labour economist and career coach. Her current focus is the acceleration of women’s labour market outcomes underpinned by a feminist lens. Lerato has recently completed a policy and institutional review of women’s economic participation in South Africa for the National Planning Commission. She is currently supporting Ilifa Labantwana to develop a childcare agenda for South Africa, and Harambee to secure funding to expand the ECD workforce as part of the Bana Pele 2030 strategy. She was previously the Director in the Presidency responsible for the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention. As a career coach, Lerato works with women to unlock clarity, build confidence, and cultivate conviction in their careers. She holds a Master of Commerce (Applied Economics) from the University of Cape Town and coaching certification from Thoughtsmiths Coach Training.
Abstract:
The seminar will present a paper on South Africa’s childcare system, which operates within a contested hybrid care regime and is characterised by fragmentation, market-led provision, and insufficient government funding. Despite constitutional and policy commitments to gender equality and early childhood development (ECD), access to affordable, quality childcare remains limited, disproportionately affecting low-income households and reinforcing women’s burden of unpaid care work. This paper adopts a systems-based framework to review the structure, challenges, and transformative potential of South Africa’s childcare system. The country has a significant opportunity to realise a ‘triple social and economic dividend’ by investing in a well-functioning childcare system. The paper concludes with five strategic policy recommendations to realise this: (1) adopt a systems approach to childcare policy and planning; (2) increase and reallocate funding to ensure sustainability and equity; (3) implement existing recommendations on service provision and child maintenance enforcement; (4) close national data and evidence gaps; and (5) shift societal norms around care.
Read the full report: Unlocking affordable and quality childcare to benefit women_ report
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