WOMEN AND UNPAID CAREWORK Rapid Care Work Analysis in Nairobi Informal Settlements WOMEN AND UNPAID CAREWORK Rapid Care Work Analysis in Nairobi Informal Settlements

COVER PHOTO: © /Oxfam

DESIGN AND LAYOUT: GREGORY ODERO STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

CONTENT LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF TABLES 5 Table 1: Number, Categories and sex of Respondents in 5 studied areas ACRONYMS 6 Table 2: Respondents’ marital status by occupation and sex EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7 Table 3: Categories and examples of unpaid care work in the 5 slum areas 1.0 STUDY INTRODUCTION: MEANING AND CONTEXT OF CARE WORK 11 1.1 Study rationale 14 Table 4: Male domestic workers paid and unpaid weekly working hours by area

1.2 Objectives of the Study 14 Table 5: Female domestic workers paid and unpaid weekly working hours by area 1.3 Study Methodology 15 Table 6: Male Small Scale traders Paid and Unpaid weekly working hours by area 1.4 Data Analysis 22 2.0 STUDY FINDINGS 26 Table 7: Female Small Scale Traders Paid and Unpaid weekly working hours by area 2.2 Types of Care work across the Five informal settlements of Nairobi City County 26 Table 8: Summary of work allocation on average weekly hours by occupation and gender 2.1 Profile of Study Respondents 26 2.3 Social norms that impact on Care Work 32 Table 9: Ranking of problematic care work activities 2.4 Difference in Hours Spent Doing Care Work by Gender 34 2.5 Impact of Care Work on Target Group’s Productivity 43 3.0 GOALS, COVENANTS, DECLARATIONS AND POLITICAL FRAMEWORKS, POLICIES AND STRATEGIES OF LOCAL, INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS ON WOMEN’S CARE WORK 47 3.1 Opportunities Offered by the Instruments and Legal Frameworks to Promote Recognition of Women’s Care work 50 3.2 Barriers towards Achieving the Policies 51 4.0 LAWS, POLICIES, SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURES FOR REDUCING WOMEN’S CARE WORK IN KENYA 54 4.1 Roles of Duty Bearers in Facilitating Reduction of Care work for Women Living in informal settlements 55 4.2 Practical Strategies and Solutions for Reduction, Recognition and Redistribution of Care Work among the Target Women 56 4.3 General Recommendations 58 4.4 Recommendations for Reduction of women’s care work burden 59 5.0 REFERENCES 62 6.0 APPENDICES 65 7.0 RCA AID DIAGRAMMES 74 8.0 SELECTED RCA PHOTOGRAPHS 75

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ACRONYMS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Care work study was part of a four year broad programme funded by the European AIDS: Acquired Immuno-Deficiency Syndrome Union and spearheaded by Oxfam in partnership with SITE Enterprise Promotion, National Organization of Peer Educators (NOPE) and Youth Alive! Kenya (YAK!). The study targeted AMREF: African Medical Research Foundation 10,000 women domestic workers and 20,000 women small scale traders in the five informal settlements of Nairobi City County namely Mukuru, Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare APHRC: African Population and Health Research Centre and Kawangware. The focus for care work project was on promoting women’s economic CDC: Centre for Disease Control empowerment by influencing recognition of the economic value of care work and influencing uptake of innovations and social services that can create more time for CEDAW: Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women women to engage in economic activities.

FAO: Food and Agriculture Organization The general objective of the study was to determine the type and amount of time women, girls, boys and men in the target areas spent on care work and how it affected FGD: Focus Group Discussions or contributed to their achievement in political, social, and economic empowerment. Specific objectives guiding the study were: to provide evidence on the type and time GALS: Gender Action Learning System spent on care work within households in the target areas; to encourage all household HIV: Human Immuno-Deficiency Virus members to participate in collective livelihood planning and to fully share the improved benefits that result from working together and lastly to identify practical interventions IFAD: International Fund for Agricultural Development that can support women and girls to reduce the time or labour required of them to engage in care work on daily basis, and thereby increase the amount of time that women and ILO: International Labour Organization girls can allocate to other activities, including productive work.

NAWASCO: Nairobi Water and Sewerage Company The study utilized a qualitative and case analysis approaches and adopted the Oxfam’s Rapid Care Analysis (RCA) tool and Oxfam’s Gender Action Learning system (GALS) both NOPE: National Organization of Peer Educators of which utilise focus group discussions to gather information. Small scale traders and domestic working persons were studied to establish how care work affected the RCA: Rapid Care Analysis empowerment and participation of women in economic enterprises in the target areas. SSA: Sub-Sahara Africa Data analysis was undertaken using qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis including sorting, and classifying, thematizing, interpreting and making inferences STD: Sexual Transmitted Disease as well as comparisons across the five areas under study and the two categories of women. Data on type and time spent on care work within households was analysed using TOR: Terms of References frequencies and percentages with the mean being used to analyse differences across areas, type of work, gender and occupation. TB: Tuberculosis The study was conducted in the said five informal settlements in Nairobi City County. A TBA: Traditional Birth Attendant total of 130 persons participated in the FGDs comprising 52% women and 48% men. Most (73%) of the participants from both groups of domestic workers and small scale traders were married and (21%) were single with a small number being widowed or divorced. Results indicate that care work is valued, necessary, mandatory and routine and is perceived as enhancing relationships but also burdensome for women and girls. The analysis of types of care work in the 5 informal settlements show that the more typical care work activities such as preparing children for school, ensuring general welfare of husbands, household/domestic chores, cooking and serving the family, care of the sick and elderly, service to communities especially at burials, weddings, collecting items for home use such as water and fuel, care of the neglected (orphaned and abandoned), moral and

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emotional support were commonly carried out across the areas under study. However, more time to engage in productive activities which was often linked to improvement on there arose a few uncommon care work activities in these informal settlements such their livelihoods in both family and community, and which would eventually translate into as re-uniting lost children to their parents/homes, offering first aid to injured persons, household stability. restoring broken social relationships between partners, counselling people living with HIV, circumcision of boys and young men, praying for needy neighbours and assisting The study makes recommendations for the recognition, reduction and re-distribution mothers in delivery of babies. of care work through the following interventions: provision of free maternal and child health services, access to safe, clean water for slum households, access to cooking With regard to time spent on care work, disaggregated data shows that male domestic energy (electric, charcoal, paraffin and fire wood), road networks to ease access to workers spent an average of 35 hours a week in paid work, while female domestic workers basic services that reduce burden of care work,, provision of care and support of the spent an average of 15 hours. Male domestic workers spent 41 hours per week doing special children/physically challenged, terminally and other ill persons and the elderly, unpaid care work compared to females who spent 77.8 hours weekly on average. Further, support systems for care of infants and young children to reduce risk of disease male small-scale traders spent 1.5 times more a week in paid work compared to their infections especially communicable diseases, environmental safety to rid the areas female counterparts (average being 25.2 hours versus 13.4 hours respectively). A large of poor drainage and unchecked waste disposal. Equally important is the change of difference was observed when hours spent doing unpaid care work by male small scale negative attitudes pertaining to care work and women empowerment. The study also traders was compared to that of women small scale traders with women spending 2.3 observed that in order for sustainable efforts and programmes for recognition, reduction times (29.2 versus 65.2 hours) more hours in unpaid care work compared to their male and re-distribution of care work, existing legislation and structures that support human counterparts, implying that even when women are engaged in small scale trade, they rights, women empowerment, poverty reduction, provision of pro-poor services and still spend most of their time in care work which in this case far out ways that which effective participation of citizens for accountability is very important. This can be men spend in paid labour/services (65 hours versus 21 hours). Notably, female domestic achieved by implementing Chapter 4 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010, the Kenya Vision workers spent slightly more time (77.8 hours) on unpaid care work compared to female 2030, domestication of the international instruments on women’s rights, the Kenya small scale traders who spent 65.2 hours on average. Slum Upgrading Project and the National Youth Service Programme. The study further noted that the success of recognition, reduction and re-distribution of care work will By utilizing GALS and RCA-FGD 2, the glaring differences between genders and across the require the cooperation of duty bearers such as the National and County governments, categories of work were further analysed and interrogated. Participants were perplexed development organizations and communities. after an analysis of number of hours spent in various work categories across the genders. They took note that women spent less time overall carrying out economically gainful activities and more time on care work (70 hours on average) and a few hours resting. On the contrary, it emerged that men spent more time on profitable small scale trade and very few hours on care work and a significant portion of their time resting. Going through the analysis of the one-day recall, women noted that they tended to have very little time left to engage in productive work and they gained insight that they carried a considerably heavier care work load. Male participants expressed disbelief and shock about the burden of care work shouldered by women and affirmed the need to address this imbalance.

In the analysis of the impact of care work on target group’s productivity, the study noted that women’s care work was perceived as contributing to lost opportunities not only in engaging in productive activities but also inability to fully exploit their potentials to improve their living standards. Women small scale traders spent less time operating their businesses or sourcing for goods and services, further compromising their business earnings. For domestic women workers, care work hampered involvement in productive/ gainful activities and limited their networks as well as personal advancement. Both female traders and domestic female workers women were found to experience a ‘hectic life’, strain, stress and severe exhaustion due to the demands of care work. This also led to lack of time for self- care thus affecting their personal health and social and family relationships. The participants agreed that if care work was reduced, women would afford

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1.0 STUDY INTRODUCTION: MEANING AND CONTEXT OF CARE WORK

Care work is defined as the provision of cooking and cleaning for family and unpaid services to people (in households community welfare. Care work has been and communities) and housework that neglected by both economists and facilitates this, such as cooking, washing development actors because its benefit clothes and shopping. It often involves is not easily quantified. Yet as early as direct care and ensuring the comfort 1990, Tinker observed that the amount of other people including attending to of unpaid care work done and the nature day to day physical and psychological of its distribution across different actors needs. Care work and how it is allocated has implications for individuals and within households profoundly shapes households well-being as well as national people’s lives and opportunities, and economic growth. especially those of women and girls, and plays a key role in determining the Folbre, (2006) described the concept of extent to which they can participate in unpaid work in the context of free time income earning productive activities spent on personal care or care of others (Oxfam, 2014). Generally, care work and leisure activities contrasted with differs across societies and developing paid work which is a contracted task that societies experience more burden than is recognized and receives remuneration. developed the world. According to There are variations associated to care Oxfam’s evaluations, these imbalances work especially the circumstances and have a number of causes, which includes conditions under, which it is performed. prevailing gender norms across societies, This is especially due to the agitation for limited access to public services, lack the rights of women and better conditions of adequate infrastructure and lack of of work inclusive of domestic work. These resources to pay for care services or concerns have received attention by time-saving technology. Additionally, the international development agencies care work is disproportionately performed and stakeholders subsequently calling by women and girls in most societies due for structural interventions in order to to prevailing cultural expectations. Its achieve recognition, redistribution and costs include forgone opportunities in reduction of women’s care work. Unpaid education, employment and earnings, care work, in particular, though embedded political participation, and leisure time. in feelings of obligation and commitment to others’ well-being is also rooted in Unpaid care work includes housework and patriarchal structures that interact with care of persons, which occurs in homes the economy thus the need to gain more and communities across human societies, visibility (Beneria, 1992). however, intensive, without recognition and remuneration. Akintola, (2006) argued The need to improve women’s participation that care work which is mainly undertaken in the labour market demands addressing by women and girls is comprehensive and the persistent gender inequalities, which includes collecting water and firewood, limit their employment opportunities PHOTO: © /Oxfam 11 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

and recognition of care work (Tinker compared to men, with a difference of 10 and 90 per cent of the home-based care are critical, they have been largely ignored 1990). Adoption of the prominent rights- times as much in Pakistan; almost 7 times to ill family members (Blackden, 1996). by economic and social public policy based conventions, including the Beijing more in India; and about 3 times more in initiatives; hence, excluded from national Declaration, the Convention on the Bangladesh (Folbre, 2006). According to Although in South Africa, daily care work planning and budgetary allocations. This Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Esplen, (2009) in Pakistan, rural women has created an opportunity cost that has been accelerated by lack of data on against Women (CEDAW), and the Protocol do almost 5 hours of unpaid care work restricts women’s ability to allocate unpaid care work, gender stereotypes and to the African Charter on Human and per day compared to 0.5 hours for men. time to paid employment, the national failure to recognize the economic value People’s Rights on the rights of women The differences are linked to the nature infrastructures such as transport, attached to women’s care work. Unless in Africa, demonstrates a growing of infrastructures in place to facilitate electricity, water and education are fairly these roles and quantified and allocated international consensus intervening reduction and distribution of care work. developed. This may be contrasted to value which they stand for, the inclusion against discrimination with a view to This necessitates access to affordable Kenya where extensive hours that women of women in development and the sharing consider legal, social, and educational social and structural infrastructures spend on unpaid care work greatly limit of the benefits of development by women barriers restricting recognition of which would facilitate recognition of their opportunities for paid work: their will remain elusive. Though development women’s unpaid care work (Burda, et al., women’s unpaid care work by reduction paid market activities account for only agencies have through institutional (2007). In this regard; global development of hours spent on it. one third of their work, compared to three- frameworks attempted to provide agencies have invested resources for quarters of men’s (Bibler and Zuckerman, structures for nations to implement poverty reduction strategies through According to FAO, IFAD, and ILO (2010) across 2013)). This persistent and unequal policies with regards to the recognition, gender equality initiatives and increased sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), governments’ gender division of labour has restricted reduction and redistribution of women’s women’s participation in labour markets insufficient social spending in addition opportunities for women to earn income un-remunerated reproductive and care as investment to empower and reward to persistently high burden of diseases and improve on their wellbeing. Comparing work, some structural barriers have extensive women’s unpaid care work. including HIV&AIDS and climate-related the state of infrastructure development compromised achievement of strategic depletion of essential resources such in South Africa to that of Kenya; there policies. According to ILO, (2010), women are over- as water, fuel, and food all combine to are higher burden of women’s care work represented among the underpaid and increase care work and related demands in Kenya in contrast to South Africa. The Kantor (2001) observed that women and unprotected care workers around the on women’s time. The challenge is to situation is worse in Ethiopia, where girls in developing countries often end up world. Despite their contributions to the recognize the foundational value of care women care work for families affected by in unpaid and unskilled care work due to economy, opportunities in education work and ensure that greater resources, HIV/AIDS takes a greater proportion of their lack of education and relevant skills. The are lower for women; hence, a gender- such as government expenditure and time, with serious impacts on household situation continues to worsen especially based wage differential has persisted, natural resources are provided to reduce food security (Esplen, 2009). in developing countries where many market segmentation and occupational the care work and services by putting in girls still drop out of school due to the segregation further intensify these place relevant infrastructures. This would Increasingly, the international and regional burden of care work they have had to take inequalities. Gender disparities in the reduce women’s time and strengthen development partners continue to up as adolescents. Further, poor living division of labour between paid and unpaid human capacity, thus contributing initiate a shift in how women’s livelihoods standards with no basic amenities such work has aggravated, with men spending substantially to poverty reduction and strategies and roles for sustainable as lack of piped water, electricity and more of their work time in remunerative economic growth (Tinker, 1990). The development are perceived. The focus adequate road networks within informal employment and women performing most series of factors, including insufficient is now on the nature of those roles, settlements have contributed in making of the unpaid work. spending on social services, present recognition, redistribution and reduction care work more problematic to women conflicts in the continent, and climate with a goal of acquiring distributive and girls’ and limits their prospects In South Asia women are often trapped change, with associated impacts on justice. According to ILO (2007) the for higher profit margins in their extra in unpaid care work. They comprise 64% resource scarcity have to a greater extent traditional gender roles for women though entrepreneurial and productive duties. compared to men 54% representation compromised the provision of policies to unremunerated are essential for society’s Hirway, (2005; 2006) and Grimshaw, (2007) in informal work (Acharya, 1995). In Asia enhance distribution of infrastructures well-being. These roles referred to as indicated that reducing women’s share agricultural sector being the main source to recognise, distribute and reduce care universal care work and include cleaning, of unpaid care work impacts positively of informal work employs 71% women and work. These factors, have imposed an cooking, and caring for children and on their productivity. Hence, recognition 47% men. Across South Asia, women are additional inequitably burden on women; elderly members of the community. The and reduction of women’s unpaid care reported doing more unpaid care work who are compelled to provide between 70 key concern is that although these roles work could translate into increased

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economic growth. Hence, development amount of time women, girls, boys and 1.3 Study Methodology a) Kibera agencies are concerned about the costs men in the target areas spend on care and impacts of care work and the specific work and how it affects or contributes to 1.3.1 Design and Study locale Kibera is the largest slum in Kenya. The interventions that would be required to their achievement of political, social, and slum sits on about 250 hectares of land minimize effects of care work especially economic empowerment. The study adopted a qualitative and and rates as the largest slum in the on the participation of women in various case analysis approach. It targeted the 5 continent of Africa. Housing in Kenya’s domains of society. It is against this 1.2 Objectives of the Study informal settlements in Nairobi City County largest slum Kibera is composed of mainly backdrop that this study was carried out. currently under an Oxfam programme. mud walled 10ft x 12ft shacks roofed The specific objectives of this study were: The programme is being implemented in with corrugated iron and earth floors. 1.1 Study rationale partnership with National Organization The monthly rent for a single unit is about 1) To provide evidence on the type and time of Peer Educators (NOPE), Enterprise Kshs. 700-1000. Majority of the houses sit This study was part of a four year spent on care work within households Promotion (SITE) and Youth Alive! Kenya on government owned land, with house programme spearheaded by Oxfam, in the target areas. To achieve this, the (YAK!) who have received financial occupancy per unit being between 4-10 aimed at benefitting poor and vulnerable study utilized the Rapid Care Analysis support from the European Commission members. The slum has about 9 villages women domestic workers and small (RCA) tool developed by Oxfam and closely to implement a four year project for the namely Kianda, Soweto East, Gatwekera, scale traders in Nairobi City’s informal conformed to the 4 analytical steps benefit of poor and vulnerable women Kisumundogo, Lindi, LainiSaba, Siranga, settlements by equipping them with conducted using the FGD approach. domestic workers and small scale traders Makina and Mashimoni. Administratively, relevant skills, strategic linkages and in the five Nairobi City County’s slums. Kibera is divided into 4 wards; Makina, advocacy. The project implementation 2) To utilise Oxfam’s Gender Action The project partners have targeted Lindi, Sarangombe, Laini Saba and adopted a partnership model with multi- Learning system (GALS), to encourage 10,000 women domestic workers and Mugumoini. Kibera was originally occupied stakeholder involvement including both all household members to participate in 20,000 women small scale traders’ in the by the Nubian people who migrated state and non-state actors to address collective livelihood planning and to fully 5 informal settlements of Kibera, Mathare, from the neighbouring Sudan but is now especially challenges that stand in share the improved benefits that result Korogocho, Mukuru and Kawangware. The populated by other Kenyan ethnic groups. the way of women’s empowerment from working together. This objective care work project aligned itself to the Most occupants (50%) work in the city’s including low and unreliable incomes, was achieved through integrating GALS target areas and was specific to both Industrial area as unskilled workers poor negotiation skills, overworking, framework step 1 to 5. categories of women in order to underscore while others are engaged in small scale lack of favorable policy environment, how care work affects the empowerment business trading. 3) To identify practical interventions that harassments by authorities, extortion, and participation of women in economic can support women and girls to reduce On amenities, Kibera like other slum arbitrary arrests and sexual harassments, enterprise. Over 2.5 million people live the time or labour required of them to settlements is largely un-serviced; limited knowledge of their rights, in the Nairobi informal settlements, and engage in care work on a daily basis, electricity coverage is about 20%, limited access to markets and credits, this translate to approximate 60% of and thereby increasing the amount of access to clean water is very low while inadequate skills and business skills. The the Nairobi’s total population, yet these time that women and girls can allocate sewage facilities coverage are about Care work study targeted 10,000 women informal settlements occupancy is only to other activities, including productive 10% with most dwellers using temporary domestic workers and 20,000 women 6% of the total Nairobi geographical area (income earning) work. The objective was disposal of toilet waste. Health services small scale traders in the five informal (AMREF, 2014, APHRC, 2014).. Agarwal and achieved by analysis of the information are poor in the slum and outbreaks of settlements of Nairobi City County namely Taneja (2011) found that in Nairobi the generated from FGD with women and men communicable diseases such as cholera, Mukuru, Kibera, Korogocho, Mathare and under-5 mortality rate in slums is 151 per from the five areas of focus. diarrhoea, TB and common colds are very Kawangware. The focus was on promoting 1000 live births, which is 2.5 times higher common infections with children being women’s economic empowerment by than the average of the city. influencing recognition of care work’s seriously at risk. economic significance and influencing The following is a brief description of the b) Mathare uptake of innovations and social services 5 targeted informal settlements: that will give women more time from such Mathare slum is the second largest work to enable them engage in economic informal settlement in Nairobi with a activities. The general objective of the population of over 500,000 people spread study was thus to determine the type and

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across the 13 sub-areas and with a history than 2 square kilometers (APHRC, 2014). boundaries namely Reuben, Njenga, related to the safe water challenge is poor of occupancy spanning nearly 100 years. The 7 villages in Korogocho are, Highridge, Viwandani, Landi mawe and Nairobi South sanitation and poor drainage system. The slum is only about 5 kms from the city Grogan, Ngunyumu, Ngomongo, Githaturu, (AMREF, 2014). The environment is characterised by and has about three administrative areas Nyayo and Korogocho. The predominant heaps of solid waste and flowing liquid namely Mathare, Mabatini and Sambu ethic groups living in the area include Mukuru just like many other slums is waste posing a severe health hazard for locations. Mathare is further sub-divided Luos, Luhyia and Kikuyu. The land on a cosmopolitan area and very diverse. residents. into five areas: Area 1 (Kiamutisia), 2 which the slum sits is owned by the However the most dominant community (Kiandururu), 3C (Bondeni), 4A (Koria/ government. Though much of the housing is the Akamba followed by the Kisii. e) Kawangware slum Mradi), 4B (Gitathuru) (APHRC 2014). is similar to that of other slums across Its proximity to the industrial area means Mathare’s administrative regions are the city, there are a number of semi and that most dwellers work as un-skilled The settlement is located about 15 km Mabatini, Kiamaiko, Hospital and Mlango permanent housing though all of them manual laborers in the nearby factories. from the Nairobi city in between Lavington Kubwa. Part of Mathare sits on an old are roofed with either corrugated or tin However, living conditions are extremely and Dagoretti areas. An estimated 800,000 quarry meaning that its terrain is uneven. iron. Most houses are owned by landlords poor due to garbage dumping and waste people of diverse ethnic backgrounds live Housing in the area is characterized by who live elsewhere and who charge affluent from the nearby factories and in Kawangware (CDC, 2014). Kawangware is crowding with most structures being about Kshs. 600-1000 as rent per month. the polluted Nairobi River whose waters very diverse by nature of the settlement, mud-walled and roofed with corrugated Infrastructure is poor in the slum and appear blackish at this point. Many of the housing and facilities. However, the larger iron or tin iron. Poor infrastructure, with no sewerage system. Lack of clean houses are single-roomed roofed, mud- part of the settlement experiences severe narrow passages, poor sanitation, high water and access roads into the shanties walled and roofed with rusty corrugated challenges related to lack of safe drinking prevalence of communicable diseases, are daily challenges for the inhabitants tin iron. The economical orientation in water, poor sanitation and poor sewerage and low coverage of water and electricity, of Korogocho. Crime rates are high and this slum is varied and aggressive. About system. The slum is characterized by water as well as severe environmental hazards young people are easily lured into a life of 80% of the slum dwellers are either borne diseases, respiratory pneumonia, are real challenges. Most homes that crime to make ends meet. employed in the nearby industrial area or aspiratory pneumonia, malaria as well as boast of having electric power are run small businesses. The most common an increase in cases of airborne diseases poorly and dangerously connected d) Mukuru businesses here are grocery stores, pubs due to the poor drainage system. Safe through illegal wiring. Most dwellers are and restaurant, charcoal vendors, tailors, drinking water is expensive to get. The employed in low cadre jobs in Nairobi’s Mukuru slum in Nairobi Kenya acquired barbershops, salons and food kiosks and electricity supply in the slum is non- industrial area or as domestic workers its name from a local dialect literary small shops. existence safe for common lighting in Nairobi’s affluent regions of Muthaiga meaning a dumping site. The area was supplied by the Kenya Power and Lighting and Parklands. Violence, vulnerability largely used as a dumping site for nearby A study conducted in the area by APHRC in Company. Open sewerage flow and poor and crime are common features of life factories. Its neighbourhood is the site 2014 established that 18.6% of the sample drainage as well as poor access roads in Mathare slums. The settlement is also of an old quarry where stones used for size of 129 people make an average of largely compromise safety and access to notorious with both ethnic and gang factory construction were excavated. The Kshs. 150- 300 shillings daily. Provision the slum. wars with most young men living in the slum is estimated to be a habitat of more of safe water is a challenge. Water in the slum engaging in violence and criminal than 700,000 people. It stretches along area is sourced from three points: Imara 1.3.2 Slum life and Care work activities to survive. Sex work, drug three different constituencies in Nairobi Daima, the Cereal Board area (through peddling and criminality make the slum City County namely Embakasi South, Sinai) and Emba-Villa. The Nairobi Water Some commonalities in the life experiences one of the most dangerous place in the Makadara, and Starehe constituency. The Company (NAWASCO) has attempted of residents and conditions of living exist Nairobi City County. slum stretches right from the banks of to provide piped water along the main in the 5 slum areas considered in this Nairobi River situated on waste lands in streets but the project was sabotaged by study. Firstly, widespread poverty affects c) Korogocho the industrial area of the city between the private water vendors who scrupulously all slum residents coupled with precarious Outer Ring Road and the North Airport Road sell illegally connected water at various living conditions and insecurity all of Korogocho slum settlement started in and Mombasa road. Mukuru has several points in the slum. Private vendors sell a which have a bearing on care work. The the early 1980s and an estimated 150,000 villages Mukuru kwa Reuben, Mukuru 20 litre jerry can of water at between Kshs. following is a thematic analysis of the people are believed to be living in its 7 kwa Njenga, Sinai, Paradise, Jamaica, 10-20 which is very expensive compared interface between slum living conditions villages. Comparatively, it is one of the Kingstone, Mariguini, Fuata Nyayo and to only Kshs. 3 charged by NAWASCO and care work. smaller slums in Nairobi occupying less Kaiyaba. Mukuru has 5 administrative for the same amount of water. Closely

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i) Poverty and care work numerous hanging and exposed electric diseases through food and contaminated congested in small dwellings aggravates cables. water. A study carried out by the United the problem. Most slum dwellers are not assured of Nations Development Programme in 2006 a steady daily income and even when iii) Effects of crowding established that one in three people living vi) Insecure and looming behavioral risks they earn, the earning is barely enough in Kibera slums identified flying toilets to to support self and family. Most families Crowding and congestion is another be a primary mode of excreta disposal Life in the slums is such that danger is cannot afford 2 meals a day while feature of life in informal settlements available to them. Women and children everywhere. The high levels of criminality nutritional statuses are very poor. This with households having no open spaces feel particularly insecure at night when and poor living conditions lead to the reality has a number of implications including pathways to pass through they go to toilets. prevalence of insecurity. Mothers fear for care work. One, for most families, between the dwellings. Furthermore, for their children especially girls who technologies that make life easier in large families share the little space During the rainy season the condition are more vulnerable to rape, unwanted households is nearly non-existent. Non indoors severely compromising privacy. worsens when the rain water sweeps away pregnancies and early marriages. The affordability of household items such The lack of space to work, walk and waste in polythene papers eventually constrained living arrangements and lack as refrigeration facilities, gas or electric perform household tasks complicates landing in water systems and open drains. of privacy in slum environments imply power cooking, electric lighting and other care work and compromises sharing for Children who unknowingly wade in this that children and parents share rooms household items make care activities such care activities within the family even water risk contracting diseases such and children are not protected from the as preparing/cooking, storing, washing where that would be a possibility. as typhoid, skin disorders, diarrhea and realities of sexual activities. Further, and cleaning harder compared to better malaria and thus increasing the burden female commercial sex workers living endowed households. Activities that iv) Lack of clean water and poor sanitation of care especially for women making in the slums and have children, have no would ordinarily take a shorter time with care work more burdensome. According option than to engage in the trade with the assistance of such household items Lack of safe drinking and domestic to (AMREF 2014), women and children are the full knowledge and at times in the take even longer in addition to causing water as well as improper drainage and the most vulnerable to infections related presence of their children. Children in the more fatigue. In addition, low nutritional sanitation increases burden of care work to hygiene during the rainy season when informal settlements therefore grow up status has implications for care work for most women. Poor health and living water systems become contaminated. conscious of sexual activities at a very in that family members and especially conditions compound care work and tender age, and teenage girls are believed children and the elderly are prone to frequent illnesses cause undue demand v) Tenure and Housing to become sexually active in their early frequent illnesses causing additional for care and provision of medical supplies teenage years although having little demand for care. Food insecurity within to the sick. Furthermore, search and Tenure insecurity is a serious problem knowledge of the risks of early sexual the slum environments impacts on care queuing for water in the few water points in the informal settlements with most debut. (Elliot et.al, 2005). work in that women have to spend more available imply that women and children families especially those living on the time in search of food at the expense of bear the burden of locating clean water. fringes living in constant fear of eviction Young girls experience unplanned other care work around the home. Majority of households on average spend and demolition of their dwellings. In pregnancies forcing them to drop out more than one hour in search of this rainy seasons, impassable pathways, of school so that they can raise their ii) Poor amenities commodity. landslides, flooding in the houses as children. Young girls who are not ready to well as leaking roofs are a constant become parents opt for abortion which is Lack of basic amenities that support life Lack of enough toilets is a real challenge threat for most households. In such illegal in Kenya. Majority of the girls who in an urban environment such as clean in most slums implying that most dwellers cases, caring for children indoors rather undergo abortion are at a high risk of water and sanitation imply that most waste a lot of time queuing since the than allowing them to go out and play infection, infertility and even death since families are vulnerable to diseases and toilets are few and unhygienic. Most slum makes care work cumbersome. Further, the people carrying out the procedure other challenges of living in severely respondents have been known to use due to poor housing often of temporal lack the skills and knowledge needed. compromised environments. This means polythene bags for toileting commonly materials such as straw roofs, mud walls Girls who get children early are also likely that with common diseases and illnesses known as ‘flying toilets’ where they and earthen floors, respiratory diseases, to have large families further increasing the burden of care work increases. defecate in polythene papers and throw especially in cold season are common. their burden of care. Further, illegal electric connections mean them out at night. The flying toilets These conditions affect especially older that most parents have to take extra care landing on roofs and on pathways cause people and children. The high population Young people are easily sucked up in a life of their children rest they are hurt by the bad odor that attracts flies which spread of crime. Care work is thus complicated by

18 19 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

the need to keep track of one’s children 1.3.3 Data collection methods iii) Likewise, for small scale traders, it was Step 4: the fourth step which utilized at all time. When young persons are lured important to include women in all existing FGD 6, 7 aimed at facilitating discussion to crime, they become a threat to their The study approach was mainly qualitative informal trades, and all the other clusters around the support, services, and families and may not even help with care and guided by the Rapid care analysis named above. infrastructure related to care that were work at home. with target women domestic workers and available in the community and identified small scale enterprise traders. The focus group discussions set to options for reducing and/or redistributing Practices such as commercial sex work firstly explore relationships of care in the care work. and early sexual activity among teenagers The study utilized a mix of methods for community, to identify unpaid and paid make STDs and HIV infections in the data collection as follows: work activities performed by women and In order to effectively facilitation the RCA, slums a real risk. Disease care-burden men and create estimations of number aid diagrammes were utilized to enable for most families affected by HIV&AIDS is a) Focus Group Discussions - the principal of hours spent on each category of work participants grasp the work categories heavy. Mortality rate for both the adults method used in the data collection for the including care by women and men in an and specifically enhance a deeper and babies is relatively high as a result study was the FGD method. About 12-18 average week. Secondly, the FGDs aimed understanding of care work. The following of HIV related complications. The Center women and men were targeted in each to document the care activities that symbols were utilized in the study to for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of the 5 areas comprising 6-9 domestic women and men undertook at household designate various kinds of care work as study in 2014 conducted among informal female workers, 6-9 domestic male and community levels and identify how illustrated. settlements in Kenya estimated that HIV workers, 6-9 women in small scale trading changes in the context affected the infection rates in informal settlements and 6-9 men in small scale trading. The activities. Thirdly, they set to discuss Paid labour is over 20% and one of the highest in the study was thus mainly conducted through the support, services, and infrastructure country. The APHRC (2014) established 20 FGDs in the 5 study areas whereby related to care that were available in the that girls between 15-20 years are at a five (5) were conducted with domestic community and to identify options for Work to produce products for sale higher risk than their counterparts in other female workers and (5) with female small reducing and/or redistributing care work. scale traders. The FGDs were conducted settlements to contract HIV. Women in the Work to produce goods for home use circumstances are left with the burden during the weekdays in the off-peak b) The specific RCA steps utilized were as of taking care of not only their children hours of between 10.00am -3.00 pm in follows: but also those orphaned by relatives and the afternoon to avoid interfering with Unpaid care work Step 1: the first FGD with target groups even neighbours. women’s and men’s daily routines. aimed to explore relationships of care in Unpaid community work vii) Poor health services Further, Mobilization of participants who the community (FGD 1). took part in the FGDs in all the 5 target Access to basic and affordable health areas was undertaken with the help of Step 2: the second FGD identified unpaid Non-work care in most urban slums is way below Oxfam partners taking due cognizance of and paid work activities performed by women and men and created an estimate capacity. There are not only a few the need to: c) The Gender and Action Learning of the number of hours spent on each government clinics or hospitals but also framework lack of drugs and trained personnel. Most i) Meet the criterion of representation where category of work –including care – by women and men in an average week (FGD of the healthcare facilities i.e. nursing all categories of domestic workers were GALS approach was integrated with the included (men and women) as well as small 2). home, health clinic, dispensary are private RCA where appropriate and included: facilities run illegally with no operation scale traders (men and women). Step 3: the third FGD aimed at documenting i) FGDs to facilitate the target groups in the healthcare license from the Ministry of ii) In addition, for domestic workers, it the care activities that women and target areas to participate in identifying the Health. They therefore are illegal, ridden was important to include married and men undertook at household level and value of the care work but also the negative with malpractice and offer substandard unmarried participants, those with children identified how changes in the context impact it had on their self-development and services. and without, with schooling children and affected activities. The process also fulfillment- (integrated in RCA- FGD 2 task 3). without, those with access (or living close sought to identify which care activities to water, electricity and those without as were most problematic for the community ii) FGDs to facilitate the target groups well as the young and old. and for women in particular using FGD 3, to pinpoint the existing opportunities 4, 5. and challenges that would affect their

20 21 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

achievement of recognition, reduction and d) Interviews and case studies the key issues were identified across the 3. Classifying: this entailed the organization redistribution of care work (Integrated in study objectives. of information into specific thematic areas RCA-FGD 6 and 7). The team engaged with key informants while checking for any gaps to specifically address the 3 objectives 2. Thematizing: drawing themes to enable iii) FGDs to facilitate target groups to and elicit complementary information. the classification of information to fit within 4. Interpreting: making deductions out of the locate realistic targets and goals towards Specifically, the key informants specified TOR1-3 information from the meanings achieving their recognition, reduction and interviewed were: redistribution of care work within defined The specific themes drawn included the 5. Drawing implications and conclusions: following: delving into the meaning and arising timelines (integrated in RCA-FGD 6 and 7). • KII with selected community leaders who comprised of the Chief/Assistant Chief in implications of the information a) Relationships of care: importance of iv) FGDs to organize the target groups to draw three of the slum areas who had a local care work to the family, communities under the action plans for achieving their vision of influence on how aspects of community Similarly, the key informant interviews study recognition, reduction and redistribution of work were organized including how care were analysed thematically following the care work (integrated in RCA-FGD 7). thematic areas covered under the FGDs as work affects women’s participation in b) Types of care work (paid and unpaid) care economic activities. well as other study focus areas such as: In the use of GALS, the specific steps for activities performed by women and men in the selected 5 slum areas. achieving 1 to 4 were as follows: • KII with 4 selected domestic workers • Their general view of care work and its effects on women’s productivity and small scale traders to elicit in-depth c) Difference in hours spent doing care Step 1: Assisting the target groups envision information and local group leaders who work by gender a future where their care work would be involved 2 women leaders and 1 male • What elements of their jurisdiction connected with care work recognized, reduced and redistributed to leader. d) Difference in hours spent doing care ensure their full participation in productive work for houses with and without access • How the duty bearers saw themselves work. e) Case studies to basic facilities such as water, electricity playing a role in reduction of care work by gender. Case studies with selected participants Step 2: Facilitating the target groups in the • What tools/limitations for achieving this were conducted to elicit stories and target areas to participate in identifying the e) Differences in hours spent doing care role they perceived to have value of the care work but also the negative experiences pertaining to care work. In- work by households that had access to impact it has on their self-development depth information on patterns of care food by gender • What role can they play in influencing and fulfillment at individual and community work, perceptions and attitudes to care provision of services that contribute to f) How care work affects domestic women levels. work, differentials in the way care work the reduction of care work? is performed across cultural, religious, workers in terms of time allocated to economic venture Step 3: Facilitating the target groups socio-economic as well as among older The active voices of respondents were to pinpoint the existing opportunities and younger groups. g) How care work affects small scale captured in their raw form to support and and challenges that would affect their trading women in terms of time allocated to corroborate the FGDs and to give first achievement of recognition, reduction and 1.4 Data Analysis economic venture hand views of their own lived experiences redistribution of care work at household and with regard to care work. community levels. Data analysis involved the collating of h) How care work affects small scale trading women in terms of business income In both the FGDs and the personal Step 4: Facilitating target groups to locate all information in a systematic manner interviews, tape recording was done with realistic targets and goals towards achieving ensuring that information collected using each instrument was clearly labelled i) The most time consuming and limiting care consent of the respondents. the recognition, reduction and redistribution work activities for women’s participation in in form of (source, day, time, venue of of care work within defined timelines. productive work collection and other identifiers). 1.4.1 Observations and Step 5: Organizing the target groups to draw j) What would be the average cost of care Photographs the action plans for achieving their vision of The qualitative data was then analysed work per day in the different regions under recognition, reduction and redistribution of following the specific steps as follows: study The research team made use of the care work. observation method mainly of the 1. Sorting: this entailed arranging the environment of care work within information from all the 5 areas ensuring all

22 23 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

the 5 informal settlements and the • Defining the roles of the team to include households where the in-depth personal planning, facilitating, observing and interviews were conducted. The general documenting- in the documentation, the infrastructure around the study areas study required to capture exact words of was also observed to confirm some the why care is done, detail, hours allocated information provided during the FGDs and to tasks, use the ‘individual one day recall” of activities, attention to details of how Interviews. target groups simultaneously managed time and the changes, noting any non- 1.4.2 Task execution consensus among group members to follow through for more details. In the collection of data, the study took cognizance of the guidelines for • Checking through the analysis phase to managers and facilitators utilizing the ensure the exact evidence required for RCA tool in terms of adapting the broad the defined TORs including documenting definition of care work and its nature as numerically the hours spent in care work encompassing the following: and the evidence that would be relevant for advocacy and interventions as desired • that care work activities often happen by the project. simultaneously and hence the need to capture activities that adopt a multi- • Developing and collecting facilitation tasking formula bearing that this is one guides and items such as RCA of the ways that women circumvent time demonstration diagrammes, facilitation limitations. aid diagrammes and stationery.

• that often, care work activities are performed alongside leisure activities e.g serving food in a wedding planning meeting and are thus perceived to be leisure contributing to their obscurity; and

• that care work patterns change with both individual lifecycles (youth, young adults, adults and older persons) and societal calendars such as school attendance calendar, rainy and hot seasons, festivities and periodic rituals among others.

1.4.3 Planning of Fieldwork

The actual planning of the field work adhered to the principles of participatory methodology and essentially started by:

• Defining the scope as guided by the provided TORs PHOTO: © /Oxfam 24 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

MARRIED SINGLE WIDOWED DIVORCED 2.0 STUDY FINDINGS Slums within Small Small Small Small Total Nairobi Domestic Scale Domestic Scale Domestic Scale Domestic Scale 2.1 Profile of Study Respondents Traders Traders Traders Traders M F M F M F M F M F M F M F M F

The study targeted women and men in 5 single with a small number being widowed Kawangware 2 3 1 2 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 15 informal neighborhoods drawn from one or divorced as presented in table 2. Korogocho 3 5 7 6 3 0 5 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 31 category of domestic workers and another Mukuru 5 4 7 10 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 29 A common feature of spouse’s living of small scale traders. Domestic workers Mathare 3 6 4 5 1 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 25 in this study included women who worked arrangements in slum areas repeated Kibera 7 5 4 3 0 0 1 3 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 26 in their households and those who worked itself in the study. In the Kawangware Total 20 23 27 26 8 2 8 10 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0 130 in their localities as domestic workers. area, it was noted that amongst the Table 2-Respondents’ marital status by occupation and sex Small scale trading enterprises under married men only one man lived with his benefits/rewards. The Kiswahili term Woman living in Kawangware: “These are study were mainly shop-keeping/sale of wife while others had their wives living in accepted in all the groups was huduma the normal activities we have to do to make groceries, second hand clothes selling, the rural homes. There were also cases of kwa wengine meaning free service to life liveable since we cannot neglect the petty trade of small items such as cakes spouses living together in the slums while others. From the different examples of husband or children. The activities form part and sweets, hair dressing, vegetables their children lived with relatives in their care work emanating from the FGDs, the of our daily work” vending, selling water, electrical items rural area upcountry. Household sizes following are categories that emerge as and charcoal trade. from studied population ranged from 4 to shown in table 3. However there arose a few uncommon 8 members per household. care work activities in the slum areas MALE FEMALE TOTAL BY SEX TOTAL From the analysis of the types of care such as re-uniting lost children to their parents/homes, offering first aid to injured Domestic Small Domestic Small work performed in the areas studied, it Area M F workers traders workers traders can be noted that the more typical care persons, restoring broken relationships between partners, counselling HIV Kawangware 6 6 6 7 12 13 25 work activities such as preparing children for school, ensuring general welfare of patients, circumcision of boys and young Mukuru 7 6 6 8 13 14 27 husbands, household/domestic chores, men, praying for needy neighbours and Mathare 4 8 9 5 12 14 26 cooking and serving the family, care of the assisting mothers in delivery of babies. Kibera 7 6 6 6 13 12 25 sick and elderly, service to communities These care work types were repeated in Korogocho 7 6 6 8 13 14 27 especially at burials, weddings and other most FGDs and appeared to carry great Total 31 32 33 34 63 67 130 entertainment functions, collecting importance for the respondents. Table 1-Number, Categories and sex of Respondents in 5 studied areas items for home use such as water and fuel, care of the neglected (orphaned and From the 5 areas, a total of 130 persons 2.2 Types of Care work across abandoned), moral and emotional support participated in the FGDs. A slightly higher appear to be commonly done across the percentage of women i.e 52% compared the Five informal settlements areas under study. Respondent’s voices to men 48% participated in the FGDs. of Nairobi City County widely supported these findings as Table 1 shows the actual number of follows: study participants by gender, area and Discussions with participants began occupation. with articulation of the definition of care Woman living in Kibera: “I wake up early work. From the consensus reached by to give services to the children which Table 2 further shows that most (73%) all the groups, care work was defined include cooking preparing and giving them of the respondents from both groups of as the services that people provided in something to eat before school. In fact I domestic workers and small scale traders support or for the comfort of others and do more than ten (10) care activities before were married and a minority (21%) were which was not remunerated and was taking them to school,” undertaken without any expectation of

26 27 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

DIRECT CARE OF PERSONS DOMESTIC WORK systems are lacking. HIV infection 2.2.1 Slum by slum differences • Preparing children to go to school • Washing clothes for husband and children rates in Kenyan slums are considerably • Care for husbands • Cooking and serving food higher than in the general population Looking closely at the types of care work • Washing of husband’s feet • Remove clothes for him to wear (AMREF 2014) occasioning the need for across the 5 slum areas, save for the more • Massaging husband • Ironing clothes for the family community-based care and counseling to common types of care work, activities • Attending to neighbours children/ or sick • Helping in burials and weddings restore lost balance for those affected. such as praying for the sick appeared to members in community • Offering social support to those in need High HIV infection in the slums coupled be prevalent among the Kibera residents • Visiting elderly and mothers in laws, • Giving water, fuel, food to neighbours with the poor sanitation and vulnerability implying a kind of spiritual devotion and relatives and those within the community • Cleaning of compound to communicable diseases in the cohesiveness in difficult circumstances. • Taking care of the neglected, orphaned and • Garbage collection in the neighbourhood settlements may explain why care of Circumcision of men was mainly reported abandoned children • Cleaning toilets for the community sick persons was continually arising as a in Korogocho and may be a pointer to • Providing emotional moral and emotional • Emergency fire extinguishing in the main care activity among all respondents. ethnic settlement patterns in Kenya since support to family members and community neighbourhood There was notably an emphasis on care of the practice is closely aligned to selected • Peace building/providing counselling • Polishing shoes for children services to family and community members. • Taking water into the bath rooms for family those with opportunistic infections such ethnic groups. Community organized • Guiding lost children either to their homes, members as TB, pneumonia and those sick with care work activities such as assisting to chief’s camp or police station/post • Running shopping errands cancer. extinguish fires and home reconstruction • Reconciling partners when there is strive • Enhancing the welfare of the sick people by was more rampant in Mathare slum • Assisting the sick to the hospital cleaning their environment Further, care work activities such as implying frequent fire outbreaks occurred • Counselling HIV infected persons • Fetching water, cleaning clothes and circumcision of boys and girls usually there while restoring lost children to their • Taking children to school utensils known to be commonly organized in rural parents was only reported at Kawangware • Caring for newly circumcised boys • Taking food stuff to the needy households areas during the school holiday months slum. • Assist children from school to cross the and neighbours would be considered in high regard among roads such settlements where most people 2.2.2 Relationships of care • Child care may not have the resources required to • Assisting the sick to the hospital travel up-country and participate in such In order to further understand the • Constructing houses for those affected by elaborately community-organized rituals. fires relationships of care work, the study • Praying for those in need Similarly, assisting mothers to deliver further probed on the kinds of people • Settling dispute among community babies within the slum environment is cared for and the underlying determinants • Cooking for friends and visitors a common feature owing to the poor of the kind of care work identified. All • Assisting mothers delivery of babies access to maternal and child care within target population acknowledged the • Vising the sick in hospital the neighborhoods as well as influence importance of care work often connecting • Creating awareness on drugs and by Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA). It is it to enhancing living and enabling other rehabilitation commonly held that TBAs actively reach functions of the family and community to • Providing first aid to injured persons out to mothers in such resource-poor take place. By and large, most respondents • Restoring broken relationships between localities persuading mothers to make affirmed that care work gives a sense of married partners use of their low-priced service. It may personal satisfaction, inspires happiness • Guiding lost children back home thus be concluded that the nature of care and fulfilment to all, inclusive of the one Table 3-Categories and examples of unpaid care work in the 5 slum areas work also reflects the living conditions, who does it. For others, it emerged as a For instance, re-uniting lost children aid to injured persons would be expected physical and social environment and Godly and personally fulfilling activity or assisting in tracing them may be in a situation of poor access to health expectations of the immediate community. whereby human beings are obliged to a unique care activity occasioned by services and emergency care. Restoring Further, among slum populations, it provide care to others in order to enhance the complexities of living in informal broken relationships may involve a visit is reflective of vulnerabilities and the social relationships. For others, care settlements where there is congestion, to a neighbour by one or more persons attempt for resource-poor households work sustains life even when it is not poor access pathways to homes as well and a discussion implying a community- to utilize social network and cohesion in recognized although it is not seen as part as lack of designated areas for child play. organized system of tackling social dealing with harsh realities as a strategy of productive work. Care work activities such as offering first challenges where more formally organized for living.

28 29 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

As amplified in the voices, care work is an and also husbands. An analysis of how/ that women were seen as best suited to what they can be best at as elaborated by enabler for existence: and who the study respondents cared perform them. There was the recurrent the following; for revealed that women largely cared argument that to insist that men perform Woman living in Mathare: “care work for children, husbands, other family activities such as assisting in cooking Man living in Korogocho: “If my relatives involves household and community at large. members, neighbours, relatives, sick and taking care of children would be back home {meaning upcountry} hear that I It enables people to live harmoniously” persons, church members, orphaned detrimental to families as women and am now the one cooking, I will be discretely summoned to an elders gathering to go and abandoned children and in laws. men knew their roles and such change and explain what I am doing, I will then be For some, care work is what holds things Men on the other hand mainly cared in roles would bring about disharmony in in place: cautioned about my behaviour and closely for neighborhoods (by providing mainly the family. Some women openly voiced monitored” security), gatherings at meetings, friends that men were not of much use in the Man living in Kawangware: “Care work is and their wives as shown in the voices: kitchen and actually made work more important as a foundation pillar of life. If no Man living in Mathare: “Most care work is complicated when they attempted to care work, no life” women’s duty. Men are not created that way, Woman living in Mukuru: “I wake up at 5am assist. This can be interpreted as a if I attempt to do that work, they will say to give services to all members of my family For others, it enables people sustain challenge while introducing the need nimekaliwa chapatti {meaning I have been specifically to ensure that children go to harmony among them and communities. to reduce and redistribute care work bewitched and that is why I am performing school prepared and having taken breakfast among women and other members of the women’s chores}’’. and that my husband is confortable after Woman living in Korogocho: “care work household especially men and boys as waking up and that he goes to work on Man living in Mukuru: “I can go to the enhances communication and brings peace demonstrated in the following voices: time.” kitchen, the neighbours may not see me in households, community, and nation” Woman living in Kibera: “As a woman, i although it is a single room but my wife will On the matter of men caring for wives, tell it out and i will be a laughing stock of Man living in Mukuru: “care work is an know where everything is in the kitchen, if providing for the family as a form of care the village”. expression of love between a man and he comes to help, i have to keep on finding work was debated by all the various FGDs woman, I feel good when my wife serves me things for him to use, and then the kitchen and largely seen by especially men as An interesting finding was that the with tea (and) she also feels good’ is left in a mess”. what enabled other forms of care work to congestion in the slums and limited living The respondents largely agreed that go on e.g 2.2.3 Why care work is organized area limited the participation of men in communities may not value care work care work. It arose that some men would Man living in Korogocho: “If I do not buy the way it is for what it is because it is invisible and like to assist in reducing the burden of food, what will she be cooking?” care work from women but they feared at times difficult to quantify concluding Findings from the study indicated that the reaction of the neighbours, given that care work is important but not care work distribution in the five slum Implying that engagement in cooking by that their houses were very close to each valued. Further probing brought to the areas is determined by factors such as the women is enabled by the provisions other and word would quickly spread that fore the element of benefits of care work. gender, culture, marital status, level of husbands make and pushing the point they had been “fooled” into performing It emerged that care work is important to education, religion, duration in marriage that financial contribution should be chores meant for their wives. the entire families and communities as it regarded as care work. as well as what respondents called enables people’s needs in the family, the social exposure and economic factors. Respondents also observed that African sick, the neighbours, community, elders, Man living in Kawangware: “if she were to Participants elaborated that though it culture and traditions has socialized men orphans to be met and makes it easier for provide for the family, then I would be glad would be valuable for spouses to assist not to do aspects of care work meant for the administration of households. to just sit around the house and clean.” each other, this is not feasible as the women as expounded by the following social construction of gender among voices: It also emerged that jurisdiction for care This statement implied that men perceived Kenya communities does not allow men work is organized around the family and provision of money to women as care work to undertake some care work tasks. Some Man living in Kibera: “Man is the home; each individual experiences a sense though in reality, it is not. respondents affirmed that some tasks women join men in marriage particularly for of obligation to provide this service are best undertaken by women out of care work; care work is the expectation in whenever it is required. Some members Another emergent finding was that most the perception that women are born with line with women’s social roles; reversing the were of the view that children benefited types of domestic care work activities a nurturing pre-disposition and that it roles puts men at the risk of ridicule should most from care work followed by the sick were regarded as ‘women’ chores; and is only fair that each gender undertakes the information leak to the public which

30 31 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

would compromise their respect within the women participants largely agreed that Man living in Mathare: “when I married change in the mindset especially among public domain”. care activities required skills to perform. her, I removed her from her parents’ home young couples who seem to be embracing There was significant debate among and brought her to my house. That makes shared roles more than the much older Though participants tended to view women regarding the importance of care me slightly above her. So, as a man, I should spouses. care work as articulated by the social work in comparison to paid work with provide food, shelter, education. We are just division of labour and part of the societal general consensus that both were equally following what our forefathers did. Culture However, a general understanding also dictates that a man must be the head of the expectations, men were quick to add that important even though a few women emerged that men are more comfortable house. You can’t change culture”. they provided the resources necessary participants in Korogocho and Mathare participating in care work but would take for women to undertake care work. In a offence when instructed by their wives to were of the opinion that domestic work is Woman living in Kawangware: “If you number of instances, notable exceptions not work. Although a few men, particularly leave your husband at home, he will watch carry out care activities. were observed where a few men openly in Korogocho, considered care activities TV the whole day and do nothing else, the disagreed with the majority and affirmed enjoyable and desirable, majority of men only heavy thing he will lift the whole day is Man living in Mathare: “I cannot wash because she will start demanding frequently that they took no issue with assisting in viewed such activities as requiring no TV remote control” household related care work as this is an skill and less important compared to paid that I wash”. expression of love for their wives. work. Of note, women in Kawangware and Man living in Kawangware: “My boy Man in Mathare: “I can only wash, cook if comes back from school and can’t go to the Mathare considered fetching water as my wife is unwell or pregnant. But child care Though this departure with the norm kitchen to fetch food waiting for the sisters very important yet not enjoyable task at is a collective responsibility”. was at times hotly debated, most male all due to difficulties they encountered in to come bevause of training that men are participants appeared to hold strongly accessing it. not supposed to go to the kitchen. It is not the view that care work distribution at right for a man to queue among women to 2.3.2 Gender roles and care work household level is based on upbringing The study also focused on the expected fetch water for household use. We need to change this for the future so that household Further, looking at the existing gendered and thus directed by the socialization roles of women and men in the community chores are not just for women”. division of labour, both men and women process. At the same time, change in and why this was the case. Looking closely agreed that natural predisposition, attitude though not completely ruled out at activities that people do and why or But this view was also disputed: socialization, training, religion, culture would require time. why not, both women and men across the and tradition determined what men five settlements were of the opinion that Woman in Mathare: “men and women and women do. The participants largely care activities were women’s roles. 2.3 Social norms that impact have different responsibilities. My parents agreed that family/parents, churches/ on Care Work brought me up teaching me how to wash, pastor, friends, teachers, chiefs schools A woman living in Korogocho: “Unpaid care but if a man washes, will he loose his work is the responsibility of a woman. and digital media were responsible The study sought to identify social norms hands? These things emerge from where we When I got married, it was given that for information and perpetuation/ that influence the distribution of care come from”. house chores will be my responsibility”. persistence of existing gender roles. work among men and women. Specifically, All the participants stressed that they It emerged that that once a woman is the study focused on perceptions of care Whereas majority of the participants both were raised up knowing that unpaid care married, she is under the authority of work among men and women, gender women and men agreed that domestic work is the responsibility of a woman. the man and hence the responsibility to roles and care work. work is work, there was consensus that However, they recognized that times are provide food, education to the children every single person in the family has a changing and more men are helping out and shelter squarely falls on him unless 2.3.1 Perceptions of care work predetermined role to play in both paid with house chores and other unpaid care he is unemployed. Participants opined and unpaid care work evidenced by work. The participants agreed that even if that some aspects of culture cannot From the analysis of how participants quotes below: men are the heads of families, it does not change especially those around care perceive care work, women across the mean that the women will do everything work, as attested by the quotes below: five slum areas viewed care activities as Man living in Mukuru: “Since I got married, in the house. Notably, men asserted that enjoyable and desirable. In comparison Man living in Kibera: “The greater burden I have never made tea. Traditionally it’s the they would only carry out most of the to paid work, they considered all these of providing for the family is a man’s responsibility of the woman to do the house care work activities when their wives activities to be important except washing chores. My children know that it is the responsibility as the bible says ‘Man will are not around, pregnant or sick. There clothes, taking care of the sick and responsibility of their mother to cook. If they sweat’. was a general consensus that there is a ironing. Unlike their male counterparts, find me in the kitchen it will shock them”.

32 33 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

Woman living in Mathare: ‘This (providing savings. As a result, I have opted to support of 18.2 hours as compared to female more hours in care work compared to men. for a man) is like (a man) being married by my wife in caring for the children and the domestic workers who spent a mean of Further, care work for women appears to a woman though the reverse should be the general household”. 5.6 hours. There is thus a wide gender often combine with other activities as case. I cannot provide for him and still claim difference in hours spent producing utility secondary activity with women spending to be the head of the household”. Notably, men felt that even if their wives goods. This scenario may be attributed to an average of 21 hours on average in the are in paid work, still care work is their the un-clear division of labour in terms of week doing care work simultaneously with Woman living in Mathare: “I cannot feed responsibility. Interestingly, women in the activities under this work category another activity including care activities. a man and provide him his conjugal rights Kawangware stated that the task of which were identified in the study such as The implication is that women spend most as well’ providing security for the family had selling roast maize, groundnuts, baking of their lives attending to care work which shifted to women because most men Women largely blamed socialization for chapatti or mandazi (home-made pastries) is nearly equivalent to the hours that men were weak and in the event of an attack, to sell. The mean for producing products spend in paid labour/services. Further, division of labour among women and women are the first to respond. men and this has led to inadequate for home consumption was very low in male domestic workers spent an average recognition, redistribution and reduction both case of men and women owing that of 16.6 hours on community work which of care work. Most men were also of the 2.4 Difference in Hours Spent this study is carried out in slum villages was slightly below the average of 20.4 opinion that since women spent most of Doing Care Work by Gender where the opportunities to keep animals hours spent by female domestic workers their time at home, it is automatic that or engage in farming are close to nil. in the same category of work implying they do domestic chores because men The task of determining number of hours that women are a lot more engaged in A large difference was observed when were engaged in paid work to support spent on care work and differences in community work. hours spent by male domestic workers their households financially. In addition, hours spent doing care work across gender doing unpaid care work are compared with When it comes to non-work, men were emphatic that engaging in and locations began with a quantification those of their female counterparts with comparatively, female domestic workers paid labour to meet family expenses and of the total number of hours participants women found to be spending nearly twice spent on average 47.2 hours on non- providing security for the family was the spent performing both paid and unpaid role of men because they are heads of work- including care work according to Hours of Primary Activities per Week Hours of Secondary Activities per Week the household as demanded by tradition. the international classification of work Work type Kawangware* Kawangware

and based on an average week (RCA- Areas Slum

Although men seemed to be rigid with Korogocho Korogocho Mathare Mathare Mukuru Mukuru Kibera Kibera Mean Mean regard to the prevailing division of labour, FGD2) as shown by table 4. The analysis Total Total they also acknowledged that both men and was disaggregated by gender and across women had responsibility of engaging in the five slum areas in the study. Further, paid work due to economic hardships thus the analysis was done on the basis of need to share the economic burden. Both the nature of activities as defined by the 55 29 13 40 38 175 35 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 men and women were in agreement that RCA- FGD 2 and on the basis of specific indeed, there has been an improvement symbols of work categories as follows: in sharing of care work. However, they 13 11 17 22 28 91 18.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 attributed this change to the tough From the summary tables 4 and 5, male economic times and deteriorating living domestic workers spent an average of 2 0 0 10 0 12 2.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 standards and increasing costs of basic 35 hours a week in paid work or service commodities. This has led to the need of while female domestic workers spent 26 53 64 29 36 208 41.6 2 3 5 2 7 19 3.8 both spouses to go out in search of extra an average of 15 hours. Men’s spending income hence the need to share house on paid work is thus 2.3 times more than chores. that of women implying large differences 18 7 23 15 20 83 16.6 0 1 0 2 1 4 0.8 in earnings across the genders. This may Man living in Kibera: “the world would be interpreted as an indication of greater 54 68 51 52 46 271 54.2 0 1 2 0 0 3 0.6 be no world without women. Women dependency on the part of women. are everything in the family and their contribution to general family budget has Male domestic workers who work to TOTAL 168 168 168 168 168 840 168 2 5 7 4 8 26 5.2 helped the households to achieve lots of produce products for sale spent a mean Table 4-Male domestic workers paid and unpaid weekly working hours by area

*at least 6 men at Kawangware area reported working at night as guards and during the day as domestic workers 34 since they lived alone hence the higher mean of hours of paid service. 35 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

work compared to males 54.2 hours on of 53 hours a week compared to female 65.2 hours) more hours in unpaid care time in the business and try to manage average. Notably, in Korogocho area, the small scale traders who spent a mean work compared to their male counterparts time in such a way that they perform hours spent on non-work were higher of 49.4 hours weekly on this activity. The implying that even when women are both care work and business work given for both men and women (68 and 56 findings imply small difference in hours engaged in small scale trade, they still that most families in the study context hours respectively). However, the study spent on this activity by both genders. spend most of their lives in care work cannot afford to hire house helpers. From noted that most women while reporting which in this case far out ways that which discussions in the FGDs, hiring of a house- engagement in non-work, they were also The average hours spent producing men spend in paid labour/services (65 help or domestic worker to assist in simultaneously engaged in light care work products for home consumption was hours versus 21 hours). household chores for pay was perceived such as resting while knitting/sewing very low in both the case of small scale as increasing the spending burden of the supervising homework while sitting or traders- men and women (2.2 hours The large difference observed in the household as such a worker would require plaiting children’s hair while sitting. among men and 0.6 hours on average number of hours trading women allocate food and a place to sleep and this would However in these instances, resting or among women respectively) owing that to care work compared to trading men generally increase the cost of living for leisure was reported as the main activity this study is carried out in slum villages has great implications for their business the households. In isolated cases, male of the hour. where the opportunities to keep animals engagement and competitiveness participants implied that they would not or engage in subsistence farming are especially in regard to the low earnings mind their wives hiring of a house-helper From the summary tables 6 and 7, male close to nil. expected from trading within resource- but this often complicates relationships small scale traders spent 1.5 times more poor slum areas. Notably, female domestic between husbands and wives as it in a week in paid work or service compared A large difference was observed when workers spent slightly more time (77.8 increases suspicion and blame. to their female counterparts (average 25.2 hours spent doing unpaid care work by hours) on unpaid care work compared hours versus 13.4 hours respectively). male small scale traders versus women to female small scale traders who spent Further, when it comes to non-work, Male small scale traders who worked to small scale traders were quantified with 65.2 hours on average. The indication is comparatively, men small scale traders produce products for sale spent a mean women spending 2.3 times (29.2 versus that trading women spend more of their spend slightly more hours (49) in non-

Work type Hours of Primary Activities per Week Hours of Secondary Activities per Week Work type Hours of Primary Activities per Week Hours of Secondary Activities per Week Kawangware Kawangware Kawangware Kawangware Slum Areas Slum Slum Areas Slum Korogocho Korogocho Korogocho Korogocho Mathare Mathare Mathare Mathare Mukuru Mukuru Mukuru Mukuru Kibera Kibera Kibera Kibera Mean Mean Mean Mean Total Total Total Total

13 18 7 16 21 75 15 0 2 0 0 1 3 0.6 12 22 32 17 23 106 21.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

3 8 3 9 5 28 5.6 0 0 0 0 6 6 1.2 60 62 42 54 47 265 53 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.2

3 0 0 7 0 10 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0.2 5 1 0 5 0 11 2.2 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.4

83 69 87 72 78 389 77.8 12 19 32 22 21 107 21.2 29 24 37 29 27 146 29.2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

22 17 28 23 12 102 20.4 1 4 0 0 1 6 1.2 10 3 16 18 22 69 13.8 1 3 1 2 2 9 1.8

44 56 43 41 52 236 47.2 2 1 0 0 3 6 1.2 54 56 41 45 49 245 49 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 168 168 168 168 168 840 168 11 10 3 5 17 46 9.2 TOTAL 168 168 168 168 168 840 168 2 4 1 3 2 12 2.4

Table 5: Female domestic workers paid and unpaid weekly working hours by area Table 6: Male Small Scale traders Paid and Unpaid weekly working hours by area

36 37 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

work compared to 35.6 hours on average main activity. This pattern is consistent across the categories of work were further probing, it emerged that men often went spent by women in the same category. across the 2 sectors in comparison with analysed. Participants were perplexed outdoors for leisure such as to watch On further probing, it emerged that men even women small scale traders spending after an analysis of hours spent in various football matches at local stadia, to watch often went outdoors for prolonged leisure more hours (65.2 hours on average) on work categories across the genders. They television or play video games at local activities such as to watch football, to care work compared to the male domestic took note that women spent less time pubs and sports betting and at times to watch TV or play video games and sports workers who spend on average 41.6 hours overall carrying out profitable activities drink in pubs, a privilege that women did betting, politicking and at times drinking. on average weekly. The rather higher and more time on care work (70 hours on not have. Leisure for women often took In contrast, women’s leisure was largely average hours (47.2) spent on non-work average) and a few hours resting inclusive the form of visiting friends or talking with spent in the home or neighbours’/friend’s by female domestic workers is reflective of the night sleep. On the contrary, they neighbours. home. of slum living in that the engagement noted that men spent time more on in productive activity is seriously profitable small scale trade and very Further, leisure time for women comprised The summary table 8 below shows the compromised by space and environment. few hours on care work and a significant of some care work taking place as a portion of their time resting. On further secondary activity such as watching WORK HOURS OF PRIMARY ACTIVITIES PER WEEK HOURS OF SECONDARY ACTIVITIES PER WEEK television while breastfeeding, or TYPE knitting, resting while knitting/sewing, Kawangware Kawangware Slum Areas Slum Korogocho Korogocho Mathare Mathare

Mukuru Mukuru From case studies conducted with selected talking/guiding children while resting. Kibera Kibera Mean Mean Total Total small scale traders, the typical day of a single mother with 3 children begins at 5am From the FGDs, working through the with household chores such as washing individual day recall and facilitating the clothes, dishes and cleaning the house. It compilation of time spent in both paid 12 15 11 13 16 67 13.4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 is followed by a short walk and the opening and unpaid work provided a rich forum for up of a kiosk hotel business at 7am and further insights and contributions related to hourly spending on care work versus 53 56 39 47 52 247 49.4 0 0 1 0 2 3 0.6 preparation of breakfast meal for customers. The preparation, cooking and sale of eating other work on the basis of gender. Going items continues well past 1pm in the through the analysis of the one-day recall, 1 0 0 2 0 3 0.6 1 0 0 1 0 2 0.4 afternoon and is followed by continuous women noted that they tended to have warming of foods served to customers until very little time left to engage in productive 67 53 73 65 68 326 65.2 3 3 1 2 3 12 2.4 7pm interspersed with washing of dishes for work. They realized that quantified, care use. In the late afternoon, the female owner work takes the most of their days’ time 3 2 7 5 2 19 3.8 1 2 1 3 2 9 1.8 rushes to the market to buy cooking items and they gained insight that they carried for the following day. At 7am, cleaning up of a considerably heavier care work load. the dishes, tables and the hotel floor follows Male participants expressed disbelief and 32 42 38 36 30 178 35.6 0 1 0 0 4 5 1 until 8am when the hotel closes. The female were at times genuinely shocked about trader then goes home to prepare a meal for the burden of care work women do though TOTAL 168 168 168 168 168 840 168 5 6 3 6 11 31 6.2 the family or to feed the family on leftover on isolated cases, men also emerged as food from the hotel. She also has to ensure doing some care work mainly cooking and Table 7: Female Small Scale Traders Paid and Unpaid weekly working hours by area school clothing for her children are ready for helping children to school. average distribution of weekly hours Male domestic workers appear to spend the following day. These activities may well The FGDs also analysed care work by various work activities within slum a substantial amount of their time on take another 2 hours and she retires at 11pm patterns in the context of changes and neighbourhoods across gender and the non-work but this may be because of the for sleep. On Saturday and Sundays when the household composition. The problem of two kinds of engagement of target groups. higher mean of hours spent by men who children do not attend school, the female female-headed households in slums was rest for much of the day after working as trader does not open the hotel for business perceived as increasing care work for From the table, female domestic workers guards in the night. but does house work and attends women have a rather crowded week. Out of the group meetings where they engage in table women. However, there were disparities in 168 available weekly hours, 77.8 hours By utilizing GALS and RCA-FGD 2, the banking. the workload between women domestic on average are spent on care work as the glaring differences between genders and workers and small scale traders who were

38 39 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

viii.) Women with school going children have TYPE OF WORK DOMESTIC WORKERS SMALL SCALE TRADERS less care work during the day when children A female domestic worker, a single mother 3 are in school. However, when a parent has to who was interviewed in the study begins her cook and take lunch over to school, the care Men Women Men women typical day at 5am with preparing breakfast work is increased. and dressing the children for school. This is 35 15 21.2 13.4 ix.) Nature of husbands work determines the followed by serving breakfast while dressing kind of care work in the household as some up the children. Once 2 of her children have work in the night and spend the day indoors departed for school, the female worker takes 18.2 5.6 53 49.4 making demands and demanding attention breakfast while assisting her young son and on women thereby increasing care work. then cleans the utensils and house while 2.4 2 2.2 0.6 still watching over her young one. She then x) During school holiday seasons, care work washes clothes until 9am and together with increases as all the children are at home and 41.6 77.8 29.2 65.2 her baby leaves the house in search of paid one has to constantly watch over them domestic work from 10am. If she is lucky to get work or has a previous arrangement to 16.6 20.4 13.8 3.8 xi.) When children or mothers are unwell, men may help in care work but only for a work at a house, she engages in domestic short period of time and only for specific work from 11am to 4pm all the while watching 54.2 47.2 49 35.6 care work activities while others are largely over her son. At 4pm, she sets back to her ignored. home and shops for dinner items along the Total weekly hours 168 168 168 168 way. Back home, she prepares refreshments xii.) During festive seasons and festivities for her 2 school going children and feeds her Table 8: Summary of work allocation on average weekly hours by occupation and gender like weddings and ceremonies and rites, last born while preparing dinner ingredients. single by choice, single without children, iv.) Single women with children have more care work goes up as women’s participation This is followed by cooking supper while and widows who had in addition to caring care work because they play two roles of is demanded both at home and at the venues helping the children take a bath. She then both father and mother for their children, in laws living upcountry of the function. serves dinner and helps her school going who depended on them for upkeep and children with homework. She then prepares regular visits. Due to the way care work v.) Women’s care work in a household with xiii.) When other children (friends/relatives) a house-help is less compared with that visit households to play or to watch TV them for bed and then goes for her bath. She is organized, men have a lot of time to without a house-help. However, dynamics especially during holidays, this increases herself retires at 10am after setting things in do profitable activities which earn them in the slums are that it is difficult for a the care work for host families. order for the following day. economic resources compared to women. household to afford to employ a live-in house-help as the cost and available living xiv.) When women give birth, care work The participants observed that the hourly space is limiting. increases both for the mother and assisting 2.4.1 Most problematic care work quantification is helpful though there are friends who often come to assist with the exceptions to the estimates when the vii.) A household with live-in relatives has heavier tasks. According to ranking by participants and context changes such as; less care work as relatives help in most as shown in table 9, among the tasks of the care work though depending on xv.) When children grow up, care work that provided substantial difficult in i.) When a family has a children with special the relationship, duration and purpose of reduces compared to when the children are performing were cooking, fetching water needs care work increases mainly for women staying. For instance, a sick relative or an young. and taking care of children. The table in law living in the household may actually further shows the ranking across the five ii.) When an elderly person lives in a xvi.) Widows act as both fathers and mothers increase care work while a sister visiting for slum areas. household, care work for women increases a short while may assist in care work. so they have a lot of care work; they also take care of their own parents, those of the Notably, participant’s experience in terms iii.) Married women with children have more Family factors such as age of children and husband and relatives from both sides. care work than those without children marital status determine the amount of care of problematic care work varies from slum work. to slum mainly depending on the existing infrastructure and other realities as discussed in the next section.

40 41 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

AREA SUBSTANTIAL DIFFICULTY GREAT DIFFICULTY EXTREMELY DIFFICULT Most problematic care work activities at This often took 2-3 hours to complete and Kawangware Cooking Child care Fetching water Korogocho was at times done simultaneously while supervising homework, cleaning the Mukuru Child care Cooking Fetching water Taking care of children was particularly dishes, attending to visitors and picking Mathare Cooking Taking care of the sick Child care difficult in Korogocho due to the need to clothes from the drying lines. Sometimes Kibera Teenage care Cooking Child care protect children from electrocution as live preparing food started hours earlier with Korogocho Cooking - Child care electric wires run all over the ground and sorting of grains and soaking them in Table 9: Ranking of problematic care work activities on low heights. At the same time, cooking water to soften before boiling. 2.4.1 Most problematic care work Most problematic care work activities at using electricity was difficult due to risk Mathare of electrocution while using electric Cleaning the house involved many activities at Mukuru plates powered from illegal connections. activities including making the beds, arranging clothes, cleaning dirty utensils, Child care in this area was perceived as Child care at Mathare was perceived as fetching water (which in some areas took difficult mainly due to the poor sanitation difficult since the carer had to constantly 2.5 Impact of Care Work on 1-2 hours due to long queues), dump and open drainage of sewer waste which watch over the child to prevent play in Target Group’s Productivity dusting, disposing of the garbage, wiping exposed children to frequent illnesses. the numerous garbage dumps and the house or paper carpet/sweeping the Fetching water was extremely difficult running streams of mainly sewer water To be able to understand the impact of earth floor, cleaning shoes and tidying because the water sources had been which could lead to illness. To get a care work on the involvement of women in up the house. Sometimes these activities monopolized by individual vendors who patient to the health centres was difficult productive activities, it was important to were repeated 2-3 times in a day. exploited the local people and the cost of for residents due to poor infrastructure deeply analyse the components of each and lack of health facilities. water was very high. In addition, cooking care activity and what it entailed. This There were noted disparities in the was difficult due to high cost of paraffin was demonstrated by probing more on the Most problematic care work activities at frequency of washings family clothes and charcoal. specific activities within one care activity. Kibera where some women washed everyday For instance, preparing children for school while others washed on alternate days. Most problematic care work activities at At Kibera, child care was perceived as involved bathing them, dressing them up, Whichever way, the activity involved Kawangware difficult as the environment was littered preparing their breakfast, packing their several trips to fetch water in areas where snacks for school and making their beds. water source was far, sorting and soaking In Kawangware, fetching water was with dirty water and garbage. Care of It also entailed walking them to school clothes, the actual washing, hanging or perceived as extremely difficult because older children was hailed as substantially and at times assisting them to cross the waiting to find free space on the drying the water was obtained from boreholes difficult due to the threat of peer influence busy roads and handing them over to lines, guarding the clothes as they which were far from the homes and the and exposure to drugs and substance their school. On the other hand, preparing dried while undertaking a simultaneous alternative source (piped water) was abuse and high likelihood of sexual the husband often entailed warming the activity, picking them (sometimes many rarely available. A lot of time was spent assault. In addition, high incidence of water for his bath, waking him up, taking hours later), arranging/ ironing them and queuing at the water points. Further, gender based violence/violence against women further complicated care work the water to the bathroom, arranging his packing them. cooking was substantially difficult due clothing for the day, preparing and serving to lack of electric power occasioning the and women were limited in the ventures his breakfast and packing whatever he This study established that care use of charcoal and paraffin which were they could undertake in paid work as required for his daily routine. work activities are not systematically deemed very expensive in the area. Child they had to guard themselves and their children against becoming victims of GBV. undertaken as there are many disruptions care was perceived as difficult due to high Further, cooking which is usually Cooking was substantially difficult due to of routines occasioned by happenings insecurity and poor sanitation and open repetitive often entailed rushing to the lack of electricity and the use of charcoal such as un-expected visitors, illness of drainage of sewer waste which exposed market/kiosk to buy provisions, preparing and paraffin which were very expensive in a family member, a distress call to assist children to frequent illnesses. ingredients, cleaning and cutting up the area. a neighbour in need, a trip to a neighbour cooking ingredients, lighting the stove, or friend to ask for help, a community cleaning utensils for use, actual cooking meeting at school or neighbourhood and on the fire, setting table, serving and many other common occurrences. Hence encouraging feeding especially for the a typical day though involving all the very young, the elderly and sick relatives.

42 43 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

recorded activities may not proceed hour their business or delegated to older severe exhaustion due to the demands to hour as anticipated. children when they had to attend to the of care work most of which are routine household chores, leading to low sales and mandatory. This often led to physical The participants agreed that if care or losses. It was also noted that due to deterioration due to lack of time for self- work was reduced, women would find the involvement in care work, women care affecting their social relations in themselves with more time to engage in small scale traders were unable to source the family. The import of these effects productive activities which was often for goods from the cheap sources and are captured in the following voices of linked to improvement on their livelihoods especially those that are far or those that participants: in both family and community, and were selling very early in the mornings. which would eventually translate into As such, they mainly sourced for goods Man from Korogocho: “Women who spend household stability. This perception was from intermediary suppliers or brokers”, all their time in the house tend to neglect embraced mainly by women affirming that which meant less profit margin. This was themselves and look older forcing us to go their involvement in economic activities confirmed by one female small scale (look for) younger women”. would benefit not only themselves but the trader in Kibera as follows: entire household. A few male participants Woman from Kawangware: “It is unfortunate that this work has to be done debated this point often indicating that “If I want to get the lowest price of fish, I leaving us no time for self-care and a man women’s earnings from productive work need to be at Marigiti (wholesale market in can lose interest in you since in the evening did not automatically translate into downtown Nairobi) at 5am but then who will prepare porridge for my two children who you still look the way he left you in the improved household welfare as some morning (meaning unkempt)”. women would withhold their earnings go to school and how will I carry the young one at that hour? I better wait and buy from from their husbands. This appeared to those who already managed to go even The findings are consistent with those reinforce the existing gender stereotypes though my profit margin will not as big”. derived from interviewing local leaders and expectations. who included chiefs, assistant chiefs For domestic women, care work hampers and ward representatives who reported From the RCA-FGD3 and GALS step 1, their involvement in productive/gainful various limitations to participation of women’s care work was perceived as activities and even when opportunities women in income generating activities. contributing to lost opportunities not only arise, they forfeit them due to clashing For instance, they reported that women in engaging in productive activities, but with their care activities. There were are daily bogged down by care work also inability to exploit their potentials incidences of a few who forfeited formal activities and are therefore most likely and talents. Even when women were employment due to demand for care work to not attend community meetings, engaged in small scale activities, the in their households. Domestic female seminars and training forums that are at amount of time dedicated to business workers also expressed concern that times offered for free by non-state and activities was way below that which was they were unable to participate in skills state actors. In addition, the government available for their male counterparts. This development workshops such as group officials reported that women are is because the care work often competes activities where women are taught how inconsistent in their pursuit of business with the business hours. For example to make home products such as soap, ventures since they at times go a few days women open businesses later in the day, candles, juices and detergents whose without opening premises for work and break off regularly to attend to household sale could improve their financial status. their concentration in business activities chores, leave early to pick children from This finding was not surprising as a is at times lacking. The government school and prepare diner. Women are also number of women were attending the RCA officials however regarded women as more likely to be absent for some days, sessions with infants as shown in Plates hardworking and good savers in their when for instance they have to care for 3 and 4. small trading ventures. a young child, take a child to hospital or attend school functions. It emerged Both female traders and domestic female that women traders opted to leave other workers women reported experiencing traders working in proximity to manage a ‘hectic’ life, strain and stress and

44 45 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

3.0 GOALS, COVENANTS, DECLARATIONS AND POLITICAL FRAMEWORKS, POLICIES AND STRATEGIES OF LOCAL, INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL INSTITUTIONS ON WOMEN’S CARE WORK

In order to front a more equitable The first global instrument pointing to the division of labour and equal sharing of need to integrate women’s care work into these responsibilities in the household the mainstream economic development between women and men, boys and girls, was the article 16 of the 1948 Universal Oxfam attempts to challenge the existing Declaration of Human Rights (Akintola, traditional development models that place 2006). This declaration is a comprehensive little value on care work by identifying document that addressed all aspects of alternative strategies, to recognize and human rights. Although there is no explicit support men, women, stakeholders focus on the value attributed to the and the state as actors to provide differential productive and reproductive infrastructures where marginalized roles by men and women; the document groups, especially women and girls would focuses on the need for equal rights enjoy reduced workload in care work. In for men and women. The instrument this respect Oxfam internationally has perceived gendered division of unpaid promoted and supported the formulation care work as a human rights issue, where of economic policies for reducing the legally binding international human rights burden of women’s care work, in addition conventions required nations to provide to the existing international, regional and policy framework to address women’s local covenants, declarations and legal economic, social and cultural rights. frameworks, policies and strategies. Consequently; the international b) The United Nation’s Convention for development frameworks and strategies Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination have recognized the need to improve Against Women (CEDAW 1979) women’s participation in labour market by addressing the persistent gender CEDAW was rather explicit in recognising inequalities as well as increased that there was unequal distribution of recognition, redistribution and reduction productive and reproductive work by of care work. women and men. Hence, CEDAW (1979) advocated for the need to reduce i) International Instruments on Women’s unpaid care work as an important Care work factor for gender equality, sustainable development and economic growth. a) Universal Declaration of Human Rights The emphasis was laid on elimination of (1948) discrimination of economic and social benefits that disadvantaged women PHOTO: © /Oxfam 47 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

due to disproportionate participation in Action, and in mainstreaming a gender and children in the region as an integral development. The protocol affirms unpaid care activities. perspective in UN activities. Accordingly efforts to improve the lives of peoples in that inadequate treatment through all the state parties’ nations were required the region and cope with the challenges exploitation, cruel, inhuman or degrading c) The Beijing Declaration and Platform to develop and implement policies and seize the opportunities created by punishment and treatment shall be For Action (1995) towards promotion of equality of men and globalisation and regional integration; prohibited. Nations adopted and enforced women. through promotion of protection of the legislative and other measures to The Beijing Declaration referred to the rights of women and children especially guarantee women’s equal opportunities unequal distribution of unpaid care work The International Labour Organization those living under disadvantaged and in work and career advancement and by women and men as a barrier to gender (1948) vulnerable conditions and adoption of other economic opportunities. equality. It called on states to establish measures to enhance capacity to promote and increase data collection of unpaid care Various ILO conventions introduce labour participation of women in decision- b) Solemn Declaration on Gender Equality work and design policies that recognize standards that address issues related making and leadership in all fields of in Africa (2004) the importance of unpaid care work and to recognition of women’s unpaid care development. provide equal rights to those who perform work. These included the ILO Convention The Solemn Declaration reaffirmed unpaid care work. Urging the States to No. 156 (1981) on workers with family ii) Regional Instruments on Women’s Care commitment to the principle of gender address gender inequalities, the Beijing responsibilities, Convention No. 182 (1999) work equality as enshrined in Article 4 (l) of Platform for Action makes reference to on maternity protection, and Convention the Constitutive Act of the African Union, other legally binding international human No. 189 (2011) regarding decent work for a) African Union Gender Policy (2009) as well as other existing commitments, rights instruments on advancement and domestic workers. principles, goals and actions set out in empowerment of women, elimination The policy established a clear vision the various regional, continental and of discrimination against women and f) The Asian and Pacific Conference on and made commitments to guide the international instruments on human and achievement of equality in distribution of Gender Equality and Empowerment of process of gender mainstreaming and women’s rights. These included the Dakar resources. These include the International Women (2014) women empowerment to influence Platform for Action (1994), the African Plan Convention and Economic and Cultural policies, procedures and practices of Action to Accelerate the Implementation Rights (1966), the Convention on the The Conference urged governments and which would accelerate the achievement of the Dakar and Beijing Platforms for Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination civil societies’ to undertake an audit of the of gender equality, gender justice, Action for the Advancement of Women against Women (1979), the International structural barriers that prevent gender non-discrimination and fundamental (1999) and the Protocol to the African Covenant on Civil and Political Rights equality and women’s advancement in all human rights in all aspects of economic Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on (1966), the Convention on the Rights of spheres of socio-economic development. development in Africa. This would lead the Rights of Women in Africa (2003). the Child (1979), and the Convention on This was a global interest in pursuit of to achievement of an African society the Rights of Persons with Disabilities women’s empowerment through an audit of founded on democracy, gender equality, d) Southern African Development (2006). implementation of the Beijing Declaration human rights and dignity and recognition Community (SADC) Protocol on Gender and Platform for Action adopted in 1995. of equal status for all. and Development (2008) d) The Commission on The Status of The implementation process enhanced Women (1948) support of women in education, small c) The Protocol to the African Charter on The Protocol on gender and development scale trade and interaction with micro Human and Rights of Women (2003 constitutes a comprehensive fundamental The Commission was the principal global scale credit facility. The aim was to document relevant for women’s economic instrument in promoting women’s rights, transform women’s activities to economic The Protocol reaffirmed the principle of empowerment and to combat all forms documenting the reality of women’s lives growth. promoting gender equality as enshrined of Gender-Based Violence including across the world, and shaping global in the constitutive act of the African discrimination and denial of the right to standards on gender equality and the g) Declaration on Enhancement of Welfare Union and the New Partnership for Africa’s development. empowerment of women. The Commission and Development of ASEAN Women and Development, relevant declarations, was mandated to take a leading role Children (2014) covenants and decisions, which underline iii) Local Legal and Policy Frameworks on in monitoring and reviewing progress the commitment of the African States to Women’s Care work and problems in the implementation of The Declaration commits to promote ensure the full participation of African the Beijing Declaration and Platform for regional cooperation for the enhancement women as equal partners in Africa’s Kenya has demonstrated some degree of welfare and development of women of commitment to addressing gender

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inequality and women’s advancement. direction, to implement and coordinate including the Beijing Declaration, the scarcity and increased poverty have to In addition to being a signatory to gender mainstreaming process. The Convention on the Elimination of all a greater extent compromised the policy international and regional gender overall goal of the policy is to ensure gender Forms of Discrimination against Women provision to enhance distribution of responsive regulatory frameworks, Kenya equality and women’s empowerment (CEDAW), and the Protocol to the African infrastructures to recognise, distribute has enacted several laws and policies through recognition of women’s roles, Charter on Human and People’s Rights on and reduce care work by women. These that address gender inequalities in including care work in the national the rights of women in Africa. This in itself factors impose an additional inequitably support of women’s social-economic and economic growth. The policy focuses demonstrates a growing international burden on women; who are compelled political empowerment. on addressing existing imbalances consensus intervening against to provide between 70 and 90 per cent through planning, policy formulation discrimination with view to considering of the home-based care to children and a) The Constitution of Kenya (2010) in and implementation taking into account legal, social, and educational barriers other family members, including the sick, article 27 (3) and (4) upholds the rights of different needs, concerns and skills of restricting recognition of women’s unpaid elderly and those living with disabilities. all citizens, recognises gender equality men and women. The policy considers care work (Burda, et al., 2007). Unfortunately, availability of adequate and prohibits discrimination of any body some critical areas of action for women’s resources to reduce women’s care work on the basis of gender. empowerment as elaborated in the Dakar The goal of the international policies through infrastructure development has and Beijing Platforms of Actions. Critical and frameworks has been to promote an never been a national priority especially b) The Kenya is the National Gender and areas of concern include enhancing environment to recognize the value of care in development countries. Equality Commission (NGEC) was set up equality in education, socio-economic work and ensure that greater resources, in Kenya by an Act of Parliament as an opportunities and infrastructures to such as government expenditure and In Kenya there are competing important institution in overseeing and reduce care work by women. resource are provided to reduce women’s infrastructural demands in many sectors guiding the realisation of gender equity. care work by putting in place relevant and especially in the informal settlements Its mandate as drawn from Article 27, 3.1 Opportunities Offered by infrastructures. The aim is to reduce in urban areas, including Nairobi. Although 43 and Chapter 15 of the Constitution women’s time and strengthen human the government in collaborations with of Kenya (2010), as well as section 8 of the Instruments and Legal capacity, thus contributing substantially the Nairobi City County government have NCEC Act (Cap. 15) of 2011 is not only an Frameworks to Promote to poverty reduction and economic significantly invested in infrastructural oversight for legal reforms on issues growth (Tinker, 1990). development, very little seems to trickle affecting women and girls but also to Recognition of Women’s Care down to the urban slums. The county lobby, advocate and monitor on the work At the regional and local levels, the government seems to be more focused implementation of gender equity policies leading agencies in development and on providing infrastructures within the and frameworks. International development agencies have policy making through institutional city environment to facilitate economic effectively employed policy frameworks, frameworks have owned the mandate opportunities for higher revenue c) The Kenya Employment Act (2007) mandates, covenants and declarations of providing structures for nations to collection. On the other hand, the political advocates for equal opportunities pay as a means of lobbying and sensitizing implement policies with regards to the influence appears to determine the extent and benefits regardless of gender. the societies to recognize the need to recognition, reduction and redistribution to which relevant infrastructures are the persistent gender inequalities, which of women’s un-remunerated reproductive accessed by urban informal settlements. d) Sessional Paper NO. 2 of 2006 on Gender limit women’s rights to employment and care work. However some structural Such infrastructures include adequate Equality and Development was developed opportunities and recognition of their barriers have compromised achievement water supply, electricity, access roads, to ensure the mainstreaming of the needs care work. For instance, the ILO report, of strategic policies as discussed in the security, affordable and quality education and concerns of both women and men (2010), recognises that women are over- following section. and health facilities, all of which are in all sectors of development and at all represented among the underpaid, meant to reduce the time spent by women levels. To achieve this, the Sessional unprotected and unrecognized care 3.2 Barriers towards in care work. paper emphasises on the need for gender workers around the world. In this disaggregated data to guide on making regard; global development partners Achieving the Policies The transformations of cultural norms women more visible. have invested resources in promoting and attitudes, which define gender A series of factors, including lack of recognition of care work. They have identity and gender division of labour, political good will, insufficient spending e) National Policy on Gender and taken a center stage in the adoption of are structurally part of the socialization. on social services, and climate change, Development (2000) provides policy the prominent rights-based conventions, This implies that the process of undoing with associated impacts on resource

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them and adoption to the new trends of conceptualizing knowledge, attitudes and practice especially in developing nations is complex. Traditions and customs for many communities in Kenya negate the role of women in mainstream development. The traditions have mainly defined and ascribed separate roles to males and females based on gender stereotypes. Women are regarded as home makers, whose fundamental roles are care work. Cultural factors are therefore strong barriers to implementation of policies with regards to women’s empowerment. However, if adequate resources were provided for training, change of attitude and community awareness, it would only be a matter of time before such stereotypes are eroded. Most challenges are linked to myths and beliefs about women’s position in the community and patriarchal ideology which provides the context within which women are subordinate to men. These perceptions based on the culture do not encourage recognition and redistribution of care work. The roles assigned to men and women are therefore societal expectations firmly grounded on the cultural beliefs and practices. PHOTO: © /Oxfam 52 STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK STUDY ON WOMEN AND UNPAID CARE WORK

provide free maternal and child health g) The National Youth Service Programme 4.0 LAWS, POLICIES, SERVICES AND services. Access and affordability of INFRASTRUCTURES FOR REDUCING WOMEN’S health care services would reduce time The role of the Ministry of Devolution taken by women to seek medical care through the National Youth Service CARE WORK IN KENYA for themselves and their children as well Programme engages in improving as improve health status of the entire sanitation, access roads, garbage family thus reducing time taken in care collection, construction of sewerage Care work is essential for households, particular emphasizes equal participation of the sick. Further, access to maternal system in slum settlements. The study community and society. The time spent in economic, political and social health care services would free women established that the programme had on these roles can, be reduced with less development including empowerment of from conducting home deliveries and been very helpful in Kibera particularly labour through improved services and the marginalized and vulnerability and the intensive care for new mothers and in improvement of the environment infrastructures by the state, community, provision of capacity, skill development children which is normally undertaken by and security thereby easing care local and International NGOs as well and training all of which are necessary communities in slum environment. work. However, the programme is not as Donor Agencies. This would provide for the reduction, redistribution and sustainably implemented and political women time to improve their economic recognition of care work. e) Kenya Slum Upgrading Project goodwill to keep it running is lacking. opportunities, capabilities and the quality of care work provided, as a result c) Free Primary Education Since the mid-1990s, the government has 4.1 Roles of Duty Bearers in of which members of the household and had a programme on upgrading slum areas community would benefit. The following In Kenya Free Primary Education was and the provision of decent housing, Facilitating Reduction of Care are some of the policies, services and introduced in 2003 and although it quality services and infrastructures. work for Women Living in infrastructures that can reduce the time, has enabled many children to access However, lack of political goodwill and informal settlements physical and emotional energy in care education, there is still need to improve inadequate budgeting have posed a the quality and number of public schools work. challenge hence slowing the process as i} The National and County Governments and to remove the hidden costs in order demonstrated by poor housing, lack of are primarily the providers of national to increase the participation of children a) Constitution of Kenya 2010 safe water and electricity which continue infrastructural development and policy in school. In this study, it was noted that to affect the majority of slum dwellers. framework based on both national and The constitution of Kenya 2010 under the despite the FPE and removal of some county economic planning. Through Bill of Rights article 27 and 43 stipulates hidden costs, there were many children of f) Power Coverage for every Household by planned and focused policy frameworks, that all the people of Kenya should enjoy school going age who were not in school 2017 viable strategies for the recognition and equal rights where all basic provisions posing an extra burden for care work by reduction of care work can be provided. such as water, health, education and their mothers. The Jubilee government in Kenya in its Governments hold constitutional and food are provided to all. This provisions manifesto of 2013 promised to provide institutional mandate to protect and form a strong basis for advocacy in that d) Provision of Free Maternal and Child electricity to all households by 2017 uphold women’s human rights. The state the state is duty bound to ensure that Health Services including informal settlements. This study is thus the main stakeholder in the all have access to the basic facilities established that although there is electric facilitation of infrastructures through and services that make decent life for all It is currently the government policy under power in most of the slum sites, most of allocation of resources and developing possible. article 43 of the Constitution to provide it is illegally connected and dangerous accessible and affordable and quality to use. The same Jubilee government appropriate regulatory frameworks and policies to support care work. The b) Kenya Vision 2030 health services to all. This provision is not manifesto promises improved police/ actualized in many slum settlements and citizen ratio coverage by 2017 to 1:400 Kenya constitution (2010) provides for The social and economic pillar of the even where clinics are provided, they are citizens. This if achieved would go a long participation of the public in budgeting Kenya Vision 2030 pledge and underscore barely enough for all and are congested, way in improving the security and thereby and allocation of national resources for the need for Kenya to transform all far and lack the necessary facilities, encourage women to move freely around public needs including those related to infrastructures to a middle level country medicine and qualified personnel. This the communities so as to perform care care work. standard by year 2030 regardless of situation has frustrated the Kenya work with ease. ii) Other stakeholders may include non- the current status. The social pillar in government’s endeavour and pledge to state actors, such as foundations,

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international and inter-governmental 4.2 Practical Strategies iii) Road Networks b) Essential Services organizations that command large resources. These stakeholders influence and Solutions for Transport was a major challenge across i) Education global norms and standard-setting Reduction, Recognition and the 5 slums which made access to the It was noted during the FGDs that across in support of human rights which Redistribution of Care Work households in the interior cumbersome incorporate women rights. In addition, especially in rainy seasons, the situation the 5 slums, there was scarcity of the stake holders have achieved a lot in among the Target Women made care work difficult in addition to affordable education services closer promoting gender equality in development interventions related to sickness and to the households; a factor which as a priority; providing policy advisory From the FGDs, the following were some emergencies. It was suggested that good had a bearing on increased care work functions, on infrastructure development of the practical solutions suggested as road network will reduce time spent in distribution as many children of school- to facilitate women’s access to resources avenues for reducing care work burden on care work as it would make movement going age stayed at home. Therefore, as a measure of economic development. women across the 5 slums included: faster and easier. establishment of more public primary International and regional development and secondary schools within the slums a) Infrastructure organizations are also best suited to iv) Sanitation can go a long way in reducing care work. It must be noted that schooling support influence governments through lobbying i) Water and indirect pressure to support care Sewerage, sanitation and drainage in the slums will require more allocation posed a major challenge across the 5 in the budget to support free meals, work and empowerment of women. The priority infrastructural service slums compromising good health and learning materials and sanitary towels was improvement of water supply. wellbeing. Provision of enough public for girls. More so, there is need to provide iii) Local development organizations and Respondents shared their experiences of toilets, unblocking water drainages, affordable public day cares and early communities difficulties in timely acquisition of safe proper garbage disposal mechanisms and childhood child centres also targeting and clean water given the distance to the Local institutions such as NGOs and improving sanitary and sewerage systems children with special needs living in the water points and long hours of queuing CBOs have a role to bring local matters would positively impact on the health slums. for up to about 3 hours. Thus provision to the attention of national and county status and wellbeing and also reduce of clean and safe piped water closer to governments. They are best suited to the time allocated by women to care for ii) Health facilities households should help in reducing care articulate the realities of communities sick children and neighbours. The Nairobi work for women. and particularly women who often bear City County Government should provide Health was a major concern across the dust bins and dumping bins, adopt cheap 5 slums. It was noted that the residents the greatest burden of care work in ii) Electricity especially resource-poor households. technology and user friendly models had to walk long distances to reach the nearest public health facility which had a They are usually involved in lobbying Across all the areas studied, there was a for toilets and support youth groups to bearing on care work as much time was and putting pressure on government to serious problem with regard to availability complement garbage collection. spent taking sick to hospital sometimes provide essential services to the public of legally connected, safe and secured v) Manmade and natural disasters daily for either medical check-ups or and especially facilities for the sick, electricity. Most households had illegal regular dosage of medicine. Hence, education facilities, community facilities connection of electricity which posed a The most common disasters in informal providing affordable and reliable health for child play, youth centres for productive major risk of safety to residents especially settlements are fire outbreaks and facility closer to the households would engagement as well as community based fires. The national government is currently political unrest during the electioneering reduce time spent walking to the health care for older persons and persons living supporting installation of affordable and period. Response to fire disaster is very facility and reduce care work. with disabilities. Local organizations subsidized electricity in households for also advocate for women’s rights poor and in most cases not timely. There lighting and cooking which is expected is need for the county government to iii) Security including challenging the existing gender to reduce time spent on most care work relations and inequalities perpetuated by establish a fire fighting station within activities. However, increasing electricity Insecurity is a major threat to the retrogressive cultural beliefs. Such belief informal settlements to ensure timely connectivity alone may not reduce care households in the slums which affecting play a role in increasing care work burden response in the event of a fire disaster. work unless it is coupled with improving domestic workers and small scale traders. on women. affordability for especially the most Thus, improvement of security structures vulnerable households. would create enabling environment for trade and work. This can be done by

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providing more operational police posts, 4.3 General 4.4 Recommendations for many cases, electricity was mainly used chief camps and routine patrols. It was for lighting only. Charcoal, kerosene and noted that the youth were mostly involved Recommendations Reduction of women’s care firewood were the commonly used cooking in criminal activities that promoted fuel in the slums. Candles, tin lamps and The study draws these recommendations work burden insecurity. Thus, engaging youths in kerosene glass lamps (lanterns) were from the policy frameworks as well public service through the National Youth i) Provision of clean and safe water near also used for lighting. These modes of as the practical solutions provided by Service and other entities, promoting homes: energy while making women’s care work respondents. They are also aligned to youth sports, enhancing income difficult exposed households to high the findings on the most problematic generating activities and community Most residents of Nairobi’s slum levels of risks, accidents related to fire, care work activities that arose from the work would combat idleness and crime, settlements do not have access to public carbon monoxide and other pollutants, study which are listed in order of priority thus making the youth more productive. water supplies, which are available to other because the houses are very small, as perceived by the participants in the residents of the city. The longstanding poorly ventilated and overcrowded. FGDs. From the foregoing therefore, it is v) Change of Attitude view that informal settlements were Moreover, the illegal connection of recommended that duty bearers ought to illegal meant that local authorities were electricity provided an option for cooking focus their efforts to improve: It was noted that culture, socialization not held responsible for providing access with high vulnerability to fires all of which and attitude played a role in increasing to water and other essential services. • Access to safe, clean water from the complicate care work for women. care work for women while compromising While over 50% of the population live Nairobi City County connections which distribution of household care work. It was was both a problem for especially within informal settlements, only 12% of Safe electricity would encourage therefore suggested that by demystifying Kawangware and Mukuru. the households have water connections. investment on affordable domestic culture and socialization patterns through In the slums, women spend a lot of time technologies such as grain grinders, fuel- education and training of men, women, • Access to cooking energy (charcoal, fetching water for domestic consumption. efficient stoves and cookers which have a boys and girls on importance of sharing paraffin and fire wood) In other cases the water is not safe for major impact on freeing women’s time and care work would encourage reduction of cooking and drinking since it is from a enabling them to be more efficient in care care work. • Road networks to ease access to living dirty source due to poor sanitation. The work. Additionally, it would allow women areas provision of clean and safe water near to function more efficiently in care work vi) Women economic empowerment the homes would save a lot of time for around homes and especially early in the • Efforts for supporting care of the special women to engage in other care work, children/physically challenged morning and late in the evenings. Encouragement of women to participate small scale income generating activities in empowerment programs such as table • Efforts supporting care of terminally and as well as personal development, for iii) Improvement of Sanitation banking, women groups and provision other ill persons example attending trainings and social of soft loans with low interest rates events. Additionally access to safe and Nairobi’s sewerage system is generally and suitable repayment terms would • Efforts to support care for the elderly clean water for domestic consumption poor, with the waste and disposal systems promote women’s economic and social would result with reduced incidents of being dysfunctional, most of the times. status which would spill down to their • Support systems for care of the mentally illnesses among the women themselves In addition this system is not available households, hence reducing care work. ill and disabled and vulnerable members of the family and to residents of slum settlements as they More so, non-economic empowerment especially children and the elderly. This have limited or no access to the public projects such as enhancing their capacity • Support systems for care of infants and sewer lines and waste disposal systems. young children to reduce risk of catching would then means that the time spent for organizing at community level would Rudimentary hand-constructed earthen disease caring for sick persons is also reduced. encourage home-grown solutions among channels acting as open sewers are them paying one mother to take care of • Support systems for care of all children ii) Provision of affordable and safe common in all the informal settlements. several children while other mothers to avoid dangers posed by illegal electric electricity for home consumption and In these channels, the sewage often engage in business and trading. connections, poor drainage and waste lighting comes into contact with drinking water disposal outdoors. pipes and many times passes right in Within the informal settlement there front of houses. The smell of human were few structures to indicate legal waste is always present in many parts of connection to electricity supply, while in

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the slums especially where the sewage vi) Education and training b) Provision of gender disaggregated data pools and stagnates. to quantify care work for recognition of This would be beneficial for women care work Hence, the demand for state the County themselves in that ability to read and governments to partner with CBOs and write increases performance in care This calls for systematic and continuous private operators to develop community work and also the chances of being surveys by all stakeholders to consolidate managed pay ablution blocks, including more informed about available choices sex disaggregated data that shows time bio-latrines to ensure safe disposal of on day to day basis. On the other hand, spent on care work and roles performed. waste. This would also reduce incidences training opportunities offer new skills and This data should provide a basis for of sickness, while at the same time especially the use of simple technologies formulating policies and strategies providing a safe environment for the in the performance of care work. It is on recognising unpaid care work with performance of care work by women. true that education and training for girls strategic services and infrastructures for protect them from getting trapped into reducing care work. The data would be iv) Provision of Transportation facilities unpaid care work at an early age that useful to quantify the value of women’s results in cycles of poverty. work into discussions on economic and Urban services in informal settlements sustainable development. This would are non-existent or minimal. Roads, 4.4.1 Strategies for Redistribution then change the perception of the pathways and drainage channels are and Recognition of care work government planners, county and local made of earth and flooding is common. service providers on care work as a multi In some informal settlements, there are a) Awareness raising on the need sector issue deserving support and no proper roads and vehicles cannot to change social norms to favour interventional priorities. access households. In cases of sickness, redistribution of care work residents have to carry patients out of the settlement to nearby access roads in The gender stereotype perceives men as order to get transport to a health facility. breadwinners and women as carers and The failure to generate employment nurturers whose place is within unpaid within access of the poor has left most care work. Changing social norms would of them with no alternative but to walk reduce the burden of discriminatory long distances every day to and from the gender stereotypes that leave women as sources of employment. the sole bearers of care work. This calls for time and resources to raise awareness v) Social safety nets for extremely poor on the need to demystifying social norms households as a basis for redistribution of care This can be in the form of cash-transfer work within households and society. schemes that target women care givers Women and girls be given opportunities as a social assistance instrument to as leaders and decision-makers within provide household basics so that women their communities to channel their can be more efficient in engaging in care voices through open dialogues; for better work especially in poverty stricken areas understanding of women’s and girls’ including the slums. The cash transfer concerns. is meant to reduce poverty and enhance household’s capabilities. These transfers are often meant to provide household basics and as a poverty reduction strategy.

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Oxford University Press. 6.0 APPENDICES United Nations Development Programme (2006) Report on Sanitation, The ‘flying toilets’ of Kibera—the severe neglect of 1) STUDY TOOLS FOR DOMESTIC WORKERS/SMALL SCALE TRADERS water and sanitation coverage in poor FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 1 areas of Nairobi. UNDP. Understanding Relationships of Care work

Objective: Facilitate participants to reflect on meaning of care, who they care for, who cares for them, how care is a reflection of social roles in family/community

Introduction and ice breaker

-All Participants introducing the next person in 5 words

-Icebreaker (1 or 2 questions)- Imagine a world without women what would it be like?

- Imagine a world without men, what would it be like?

- imagine a world where none of us needed the other, what would it be like?

- focus on wall aid pictures: what do you see on the walls? (Care work pictorial)

- what does it mean?

- What is care work- facilitator explains e.g - Is slaughtering a chicken/mbuzi during a function care work?

- Is serving/cooking tea in a women’s meeting care work?

- is care work important? How important is care work? To who and Why?

Purpose of the workshop: to understand how care work is carried out in their family/community and who does it, also what limitations it raises and how that can be addressed.

Outcome: if addressed either through reduction, redistribution, then it becomes possible for those most involved to take part in other productive activities. Give examples-

Expounding on Care work: To note: English- Care work Kiswahili- Kutunza, kuhudumia wengine

- Who do you care for on a daily basis

- Who do you care for on weekly basis

- Who do you care for on monthly basis?

- Who in your household cares for you?

- Who do you cook for?

- Do you ever take food to your neighbours?

- Who takes care of your children when you are unwell/busy?

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- Do you ever help ill people on other households? Ex: Task 2 - Inserting symbol on recorded activities and count how much time is allocated to which activity, and each simultaneous activity - To whom do you give moral support? b) Women Group and Men Group Ex:- Individual care cycle diagram: daily, weekly, monthly using the concentric circles Estimating the number of hours worked on daily and weekly basis and time spent on unpaid care work. Ex:- Collective diagram: who men care for/who women care for Task 1 - Group examines the time they spend for each category of work, either as a primary or secondary Ex:- Discuss by Disaggregate findings by gender and age, family status excluding personal care activities.

Requirements: A3 Pictures of care work, White Flip charts rolls and marker pens Task 2 - Each individual multiplies her/his own daily totals by seven, and write her/his answers in the second column. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 2 The group will then see a range of how much time women and men in the community typically spend on each category of work. Step 2: the second FGD will identify unpaid and paid work activities performed by women and men and create an estimate of the number of hours spent on each category of work –including care – by women and men in an average week (FGD 2). Documentation will include arising patterns of what is the typical activity schedule for older women/ men, younger men/women, married /unmarried, with/without children etc. Objective: Quantify volume of care work performed by men and women in a visible and clear manner Task 3: Introduction to the FGD a) The group should reach an estimate of how much time is spent, on a weekly basis, for each category of work by women and men. What are the different categories of work that women and men perform in this community? • Establish typical-ness of the recorded day • Probe for: business activities such as kiosk, selling food, fish, • All groups will include unpaid care work • waged labour such as cleaning, repairing, building, washing, or transporting • Group records as an average estimate across households • We have housework that facilitates the care of persons (in one’s own household or for other households), and the collection of water or fuelwood b) Draw up a table summarizing the estimates for each category and putting it up on the wall for everyone to see and agree on. (Be keen on whether the typical estimates reflect differences in sub- • Unpaid work producing products for home consumption eg. Chicken rearing categories of women/men).

• Participation in community committees, and community work related to health, c) Drawing petal diagram to make a visual representation of care work relative to other types of work.

• education, natural resources, and religious or cultural events - Using the averages obtained from the exercise above, participants draw large circles in the shape of a petal diagram • Personal care (bathing, resting), sleep, entertainment and recreation - Black circles for paid activities and red for unpaid activities a) Mixed group Disaggregate findings by gender, age, and family status. - Of all the work that people do in this community, estimate how much time care work represents, on daily and weekly basis, for women and for men. Rapid analysis for Step 2

Process: Put the work categories on a flip chart on the wall for everyone to see, and attribute a symbol • What striking differences stand out between what men do and what women do? for each category. • If women are found to be doing more care work than men: Were you aware that this was the case? Discuss extensively the work categories above to deepen their understanding of them To what extent? What are the consequences in terms of women’s time?

Explain that some activities are done simultaneously and it is important to record them as taking place • Could you imagine a scenario where women would do less care work, or more paid work? More at the same time community work? More political work at community level? {GALS 1)

Collective diagram: agree on symbols to use for each work category • Can you think of cases or families where this happens? Is that beneficial to the family? and to the community? Ex: Task 1 - each individual to list on the flip chart care activities they undertake on a typical day-hour by hour • Are women doing more simultaneous activities than men? Which ones?

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Requirements: d) Ask participants to fill the matrix by estimating the time spent on each task, on a daily and weekly basis. eg 1. Copies of Table 2 3 dots = more than 10 hours per week; 2 dots = 5-10 hours per week; 2. Blank Copies of Table 4 1 dot = less than 5 hours per week; No dots = Never. 3. 4 White Flip charts rolls Or 3 dots = Daily; 2 dots =Sometimes/once a week; 4. 12 marker pens of red, green and black 1 dot = Rarely/once a month; No dots = Never. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 3 4) How does care work for women negatively impact on their: {GALS step 2) Step 3: the third FGD will aim to document the care activities that women and men undertake at • Productivity household level and identify how changes in the context affect activities. It will also identify which • Self-advancement care activities are most problematic for the community and for women in particular (FGD 3, 4, 5). • Social networking • Business enterprises Objective: identify gendered patterns in care work, changes in care work patterns and the most problematic care activities Requirements: 1. Ranking Matrix table 1 Introduction to the FGD 2. 4 White Flip charts rolls 3. 12 marker pens of red, green and black Explore the distribution of care roles at household level 4. Symbol for man/ woman

FGD 3 explores care work in more detail, and seeks to uncover patterns and responsibilities in care work, by gender and age; underscoring who is responsible for what aspects of care work? FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 4

Question line: Step 3: The third FGD will aim to document the care activities that women and men undertake at household level and identify how changes in the context affect activities. It will also identify which What care activities are performed at household level in your community? care activities are most problematic for the community and for women in particular (FGD 3, 4, 5). What categories of people are involved in doing care work in your community? FGD 4 is a discussion around factors that affect care work (external factors like seasons, economic or Process – collective exercise environmental shocks, but also internal factors like pregnancy, old age, illnesses.

1. Present the universal categories of care, referring to activities discussed in FGD 2 i.e. meals, clean Objective: Understand fluctuations and changes in patterns of providing care. clothes, personal care (bathing, dressing, feeding), clean living space, moral support (talking and listening), nursing ill people. Introduction to the FGD Ask what other forms of care takes place in this community (special care for disabled persons etc.)? Explore the distribution of care roles at household level

2) Once this list is complete, ask participants to look at their one-day recall, and to put detailed Question line activities under the universal categories. Facilitate this process by asking prompting questions such What factors lead to fluctuations in patterns of care? as: How have care activities changed in this area? • What does ‘preparing meals’ involve? • What does ‘caring for children’ entail? Probing • What about ‘cleaning the house’? Can you identify seasonal patterns of care? This should generate a more detailed list of activities. Are there times of the year when meeting care responsibilities are more difficult? One facilitator should start organizing the categories, and placing them in an orderly manner in the Why is this? matrix. Can you identify a particular policy (national or local) that has had significant repercussions in terms of how care roles are distributed? 3) Ask participants to reflect on who does what care work. Steer the discussion towards at least six Cue-e.g Changes in food prices, new health care services, or the closure of a school will impact care social categories (there may be more): girls, boys, women, men, older women, and older men. responsibilities. • Do girls help with cooking? • Washing the clothes? Do boys ever go to collect water? You may want to look at what element of care would most critically need to be re-considered? • Who takes care of family members who are ill? How does a woman’s lifecycle affect her care responsibilities? • Who provides moral support in crisis situations? How do young women cope with additional care work linked to taking care of infants? If your enterprise development programme is targeting young women, you would need to understand Then create one column for each social group on the ranking matrix. care responsibilities linked to this particular age group.

Ask participants to draw a ‘seasonal calendar of care’,

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either as a large circle, or using a month-by-month representation of the changing volume of care for Draw up a matrix with these on the vertical axis, and the issues associated with care work on the different care categories (see Figure 2). horizontal axis. You may want to begin with issues such as time, mobility, or impact on health, and ask participants Design an exercise on ‘changing care responsibilities in a woman’s lifecycle’ to explore fluctuations in to identify other issues causing difficulties or making care roles complex to manage (e.g. ‘not enough care responsibilities associated with pregnancies, being a young mother, illnesses, old age, and so on. time to care for elderly people’, ‘smoke coming from fire creating problems for children’, etc.). Requirements: Figure 2, Modified table 5, 4 White Flip charts rolls,12 marker pens of red, black and green. Then ask participants to do the ranking as shown in the example below. This will give a detailed picture of what women see as problematic in their care roles. Requirements: Figure 2, Modified table 5, 4 White Flip charts rolls,12 marker pens of red, black and green Try to bear in mind that issues with particular care activities may arise not from the primary activity, but from the simultaneous or secondary activity. FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 5 For instance, doing meal preparation and ironing for a neighbour may not truly limit a woman’s movement, but it is the secondary or simultaneous activity, such as taking care of a very young child, Step 3: The third FGD will aim to document the care activities that women and men undertake at that makes cooking and ironing hazardous or difficult, restricts mobility, and makes doing paid work household level and identify how changes in the context affect activities. It will also identify which very burdensome. care activities are most problematic for the community and for women in particular (FGD 3, 4, 5). Rapid analysis for Step 3 FGD 5 will also identify which care activities are most problematic for the community and for women in particular • Discuss the key findings from this step: • Who in the family is responsible (or has become responsible) for care work? Objective: Identify the care activities that are most problematic for the community and for women • Is there an equitable sharing of responsibilities between women and men? • In what ways has housework allocation become less or more equitable between men and women, Introduction to the FGD and between girls and boys? • If it has not, why not? What are the consequences girls have to face for spending more time than Question line- Single sex groups their brothers helping their mothers around the house? • What issues about care in this community are you most concerned about? • What care activities are most problematic for women and why? • Of all the care responsibilities that women face in this community, which are the most challenging? • What main concerns are emerging? and why? • What external factor stands out as most critical in the particular context you are in? • Has anything been done to remedy this? Probing cues • Has Oxfam tried to tackle the issue? How? • What takes too much time? • Which tasks in your day do you not feel good about, put off, or resent (in contrast with tasks you Requirements: Figure 2, Modified table 5, Ranking Matrix 2, 4 White Flip charts rolls, 12 marker pens of enjoy more)? red, green and black • What element of care is most difficult to manage on a daily basis? • What are the main issues and problems? FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 6 {OBJECTIVE 3) • How much time is spent doing care work? • What are the restrictions on mobility associated with specific tasks (like caring for children, sick people, or the elderly)? Objective: Identify different categories of infrastructure and services that support care work • What are elements of physical or mental discomfort? Introduction to the FGD • What causes the inability to attend community meetings? Are these held when you are busy with care work? What support, what infrastructure, and what services help your work in caring for people or your housework? {GALS 3) Process The men’s group could discuss ‘What’s problematic for the whole community?’Including the problems Probing cues that arise because certain groups receive inadequate care (e.g. elderly people). Then ask the men, • Where do you access water for cooking and washing? ‘What’s most problematic for women?’, and why they think certain activities are problematic for women. • Where do you leave your young children when you do paid work, family enterprise, or farm work? {GALS 1 & 2} • Are there any local organizations providing services for women? Does anyone pay for childcare services in your community? Do local enterprises provide paid sick leave, or maternity leave? With the women, start a discussion on the difficulties women face as a result of the care work they do • Are there government workers who provide support or equipment for caring for elderly, disabled, or (either in general terms, or with reference to a particular Oxfam project they are involved in). {GALS 3} ill family members?

Ranking Matrix 1 -prepared under FGD 3 above, and define a quick way of identifying the most Process challenging tasks. (You could allocate three dots for the most challenging, two dots for manageable, Community mapping (Figure 4). First, present the care ‘diamond’ (Figure 3). This should be prepared by and one dot for ‘simple’ care work. Or you could number all care work, going from the most challenging facilitators in advance. to the least challenging). The care diamond shows the four categories of actors which can provide care support, infrastructure, Ranking exercise and services: 1. Households/family; 2. Markets/employers; 3. State/municipality; 4. NGOs/religious (See Ranking Matrix 2 below): organizations/ community groups. {GALS 4} Go back to the three or four most challenging care activities. This tool will serve to broaden the scope of the discussion on care beyond the actors.

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Then proceed with the following exercise. Once criteria have been established, prepare a ranking matrix and ask participants to fill it in. a) Ask participants to draw a few important landmarks from the places where they live and work. The landmarks should cover a large circle. Then ask them to represent all the places that people Ask participants to rank the change options identified by only two general criteria: the positive impact go to in order to do the caring they need to do: water sources, the clinic or hospital, the school or this change would generate, and the feasibility of implementing the change. Be sure to agree what the nursery, sources of fuel, transport to reach state services, the grain grinding machine, the oil press, scores mean, for example, that high feasibility means the proposed change requires low investment grandparents’ house, the counselor for HIV positive people, shops to buy food or cleaning supplies, and has high social acceptability. A simple graph, or stones placed on option names, will identify the paid services to wash/iron clothes. options that combine high feasibility with high impact. You can use a different colour for each care category. In Figure 5, the option ranked 4 for impact and 4 for feasibility would be the highest priority. The b) Draw a second outer circle, larger than the first, and ask participants to represent the services that options ranking 5 and 6 for impact could offer ideas for a longer-term project. are not visible in the community, but do exist (in green colour). This may include services provided by the community (for example by religious organizations, NGOs, or Rapid analysis for Step 4 the elders’ council); by the municipality or state (e.g. subsidies/social protection, old age pensions) or by the market (e.g. small businesses selling prepared food or laundering clothes; employers that pay What is emerging from this step? Are men willing to re-consider their own role in providing care? Are for childcare, health or maternity benefits). gender norms fixed, or do we observe some flexibility?

c) Draw a third outer circle (larger than the previous one) and ask participants to reflect on what they What levers can women use to provoke change in their own households? What categories of women ‘wish to have’ to complement or improve what already exists (these should be written out in red). This (such as older or educated women) might be most influential? What sort of demands could be formulated may include new services or infrastructure, but also more efficient equipment, social innovations at community level and by whom? Would men in this community support a clearly articulated demand systems, more user-friendly services, and so on. {GALS 5} for more public investment in care-related infrastructure (such as electric mills or daycare centres)? Where are the main blocks, and where do we see substantial Requirements: Figure 3 and 4, Ranking Matrix 2, 4 White Flip charts rolls, 12 marker pens 3 colours scope for change in redistributing care work?

FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSION 7- {OBJECTIVE 3} Requirements: Figure 5, Modified table 5, Ranking Matrix 3, 4 White Flip charts rolls, 12 marker pens of red and black Objective: Identify and rank options to address problems with the current patterns of care work, and especially to reduce difficulties for women around care work. FGD PROGRAMME – 2 DAYS Introduction to the FGD

Question line Time Activity What options exist for reducing difficulties and redistributing care work? How can care work be redistributed within households or redistributed from families to state or other providers? {GALS 5} Day 1 Day 2 Probing questions What forms of social innovations (labour-sharing, support for childcare) and technological innovations 0:30 Introductions, clarifying objectives, (pounding mills, washing machines) could be developed or strengthened in order to reduce the time or 1:00 Step 3 (continued): FGD 5 labour that care work requires of individual women? clarifying ‘care’ in language and context

Try to make a list. 1:00 Step 1. FGD 1 1:30 Step 4: FGD 6 • How can care work be re-distributed within the household, between men and women, between boys and girls, or between different generations? 2:00 Step 2. FGD 2 1:30 Step 4 (continued): FGD 7 Process a) Use the outputs from FGDs 4, 5, and 6 to generate a discussion on options for reducing and re- distributing care work. 2:00 Step 3: FGD 3 and FGD 4 0:30 Conclusion, feedback, thanks • What additional resources, institutions, services, or subsidies can be mobilized to reduce the difficulties and costs of care work done at household level? Use the community map or the care diamond to inquire about the appropriateness and efficiency of existing services and infrastructure. • Which officials and institutions (governments, companies, trade associations, NGOs, religious • Organizations) could be called on to make decisions to support or invest resources to reduce/re- distribute care work?

b) Rank these options according to the perceived benefits attached to each option. Start discussing criteria for ranking the options identified above. What constitutes a ‘good option’ for different participants? Discuss possible criteria (see the first column in Ranking Matrix 3 below for ideas to start off the discussion). Allow participants to come up with additional criteria.

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7.0 RCA AID DIAGRAMMES 8.0 SELECTED RCA PHOTOGRAPHS

Plate 1 Plate 3

Plate 2 Plate 4

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Plate 5

Plate 6

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