The MoSD Participates in the Regional Workshop on Strengthening the Role of Childcare Centers and Empowering Women in the Care Economy
The Ministry of Social Development, represented by Ms. Heba Jebait, Head of the Women and Gender Unit, participated in the regional workshop entitled: "The Role of Childcare Centers in Expanding the Horizons of the Care Economy Toward Greater Opportunities and Justice for Women (as part of the development of a regional care economy plan for the Arab region)," held in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, from April 22 to 24, 2025. The workshop was organized by the Arab Women Organization and the National Commission for Lebanese Women, in partnership with UN Women, the International Labour Organization (ILO), and ESCWA, within the framework of the partnership agreement between the Arab Women Organization and UN Women, through the regional program "Taqaddur," funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (GIZ).
During her participation, Jebait presented the status of the Palestinian labor market from a gender perspective, emphasizing the importance of the care economy as a fundamental pillar of the social economy and women's empowerment, through the provision of care services for children, the elderly, patients, and persons with disabilities. She pointed out that the childcare sector in Palestine represents one of the most prominent aspects of the care economy, given its role in enabling women to enter the labor market and narrowing the gender gap in economic opportunities.
Jebait also highlighted the increasing burden of care placed on Palestinian women during the aggression on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank governorates, noting that women in Gaza face escalating pressures amid the continued aggression, the collapse of basic services, and the displacement of approximately two million people, half of whom are women. Many have lost their homes and are bearing multiplied responsibilities for caring for their families in environments lacking safety and privacy, amid worsening health conditions and the blockade on humanitarian aid entry.
In her remarks, Jebait addressed the challenges related to providing paid childcare services, presenting the role of the Ministry of Social Development in empowering women through programs for psychological, social, and economic empowerment, and supporting them to engage in paid care work. She also stressed the Ministry’s efforts in combating violence against women, including economic violence, through the implementation of the National Referral System for battered women and the enhancement of joint work with other relevant ministries to advance the care economy sector.
The workshop featured in-depth discussions on the importance of promoting women’s participation in the labor market, supporting women in the family and workplace, and strengthening the role of fathers in child-rearing, thereby contributing to balancing care responsibilities within the family. Representatives from Arab countries presented their experiences in supporting the childcare sector as a key driver for women’s labor market integration, and exchanged expertise and discussed the legislation and procedures necessary to strengthen and institutionalize care economy work across the Arab region.
The workshop concluded by emphasizing the need to establish an electronic platform for a dedicated database on childcare centers and the care economy, integrate the care economy into national budgets, establish a national fund to support care services, and allocate tax incentives and grants to enhance this sector, within the framework of strengthening the role of the private sector in social responsibility.
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