“We are thrilled to see this programme develop solutions that turn unpaid care into work opportunities for women in the care economy,” said Katja Freiwald of UN Women’s regional office. “It will be a continuation of UN Women’s Care Entrepreneurship Accelerator, incorporating important learnings, to address one of the most persistent barriers to women’s equal labour-force participation.”

The acceleration programme will provide business training, mentorship, access to networks and finance, and inclusive and gender-responsive business-building practices, with a focus on inclusive and sustainable business models in the care sector.

Care enterprises are ones that involve paid care work, across a variety of models and services, such as care for children, the elderly or the disabled, and including digital-enabled care enterprises, on-demand, in-person or centre-based services for families or corporations.

The acceleration programme aims to increase affordability, access and quality of care services, using region-specific innovative solutions for families, like on-demand and flexible provision and pilot community-based care models. This in turn will help provide solutions for families, especially women, who are often prevented from pursuing economic opportunities because of limited availability of care services for children, elderly , people with disabilities and other care needs.

“The programme aims to make high-quality care services more accessible, affordable and inclusive while empowering women and driving economic growth,” said Anurag Maloo of SAFEEM. “We're proud to partner with some of the brightest minds in the industry, and we can't wait to make a real difference together."

“Visa Foundation is deeply committed to driving inclusive economic growth, globally,” said Graham Macmillan, President, Visa Foundation, “and is proud to support the GICEEP, which we believe will advance gender diverse businesses in the care economy while improving the livelihoods of women and their communities.”

“This partnership is a powerful demonstration of the importance of bringing diverse actors together to address long-standing, complex and systemic challenges, the root causes of gender inequality, such as the burden of unpaid care work” said Erin Tansey, Sustainable and Inclusive Economies Director at the IDRC. “It is aligned to ongoing IDRC work in this space, which shows that with evidence and purpose, entrepreneurship and investment can be part of the solution”. 

“We are proud to be part of this programme,” said Lotte-Marie Brouwer, Women's Entrepreneurship Lead of Bopinc. “This will help us design specific solutions for small-scale businesses serving low-income consumers, for example with our partner Dharma Life who is already working on driving impact in their communities through rural entrepreneurship.”

Women’s disproportionate burden of unpaid care work – four times more than men in Asia and the Pacific, according to UN Women - is a significant barrier to their empowerment. This has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has reversed progress on gender equality and deepened the care economy crisis.

In response, the private and public sectors need to take action, as outlined in UN Women’s Think Piece: Innovation in Childcare to Advance Women’s Economic Empowerment. While the public sector must invest in comprehensive care systems, the private sector can also play a crucial role by pursuing entrepreneurship and livelihood opportunities in the care economy.

The GICEEP initiative will focus on three pillars: (1) creating base-of-the-pyramid solutions for care entrepreneurship; (2) implementing a gender-inclusive care impact accelerator for small and medium-sized enterprises in Asia-Pacific; and (3) facilitating knowledge exchange to promote inclusive care entrepreneurship.

Learn more about the GICEEP and explore partnership opportunities by visiting our website. Entrepreneurs can apply to join us (bit.ly/AP-care-accelerator) in building a more inclusive and equitable care economy in the Asia-Pacific region.
Let's work together to make a meaningful impact.

ABOUT GICEEP

The Gender-Inclusive Care Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Programme (GICEEP) is a joint initiative of Canada’s International Development Research Centre, Visa Foundation, UN Women Asia and the Pacific, BopInc, and SAFEEM. The program aims to promote women's economic empowerment by fostering a more inclusive care entrepreneurship ecosystem through business training, mentorship, access to networks and finance, and inclusive and gender-responsive business-building practices. The GICEEP's three pillars focus on developing Base of Pyramid solutions, implementing a gender-responsive care accelerator, and facilitating knowledge exchange to scale up entrepreneurship-based care solutions.

ABOUT BOPINC

Bopinc connects today’s low-income consumers with the dignified choices of tomorrow. A global non-profit foundation that works with entrepreneurs and companies to make the best products and services available where it matters the most. A diverse team of global innovators and entrepreneurs, bridging the gap between private and development sectors. Leveraging the power of entrepreneurship to seek out the right innovations, right for low-income markets.

ABOUT IDRC

IDRC supports leading thinkers who advance knowledge and solve practical development problems. They provide the resources, advice, and training needed to implement and share solutions with those who need them most. IDRC works with its development partners, multiplies the impact of our investment, and brings innovations to more people in more countries around the world. IDRC offers fellowships and awards to nurture a new generation of development leaders. For more information, visit https://www.idrc.ca/en.

ABOUT SAFEEM

SAFEEM (Swiss Association For Entrepreneurship in Emerging Markets) is a Geneva-based non-profit organization on a mission to support entrepreneurs in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship. SAFEEM is an independent organisation that operates in partnership with Seedstars, a global investment holding with a similar goal of impacting people's lives in emerging markets through technology and entrepreneurship. The organization works with Seedstars staff and has an Equivalency Determination (ED) certificate from NGOsource, proving its equivalence to a Certified Public Charity. SAFEEM has previously collaborated with various organizations such as UN Environment (UNEP), GIZ, European Union, Visa Foundation, and more to fuel economic growth and create jobs in emerging markets.

ABOUT UN WOMEN

UN Women is a global champion for gender equality, working to develop and uphold standards and create an environment in which every woman and girl can exercise her human rights and live up to her full potential. UN Women is a trusted partner of advocates and decision-makers from all walks of life, and it is a leader in the effort to achieve gender equality. For more information, visit http://unwomen.org/en.

ABOUT VISA FOUNDATION

Visa Foundation seeks to support inclusive economies where individuals, businesses and communities can thrive. Through grantmaking and investing, the Foundation prioritizes the resilience and growth of micro and small businesses that benefit women. The Foundation also supports broader community needs and disaster response in times of crisis. Visa Foundation is registered in the U.S. as a 501(c)3 entity. For more information visit: visafoundation.org

CONTACTS

Program

Karina Bhasin

Program Manager

[email protected]

Media

Michaela Villaroman
Media Relations

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