Inclusion in workforce is impossible without affordable childcare

Aswathy Prasad
3 min readDec 25, 2022

Investing in childcare can be a key strategy for promoting gender equality.

I took a maternity leave of 1 year. When I planned to return to work, the number one worry was childcare. I can imagine it is the same for a lot of working mothers out there in the world. Childcare affordability is an issue that has long been a concern for parents, particularly for mothers who are looking to return to the workforce after having children. For many families, the high cost of childcare can be a significant barrier to mothers returning to work, leading to a loss of income and potential career advancement opportunities.

A child stacking colorful blocks. Image added in the context of affordable childcare as a necessity for gender equality
Photo by La-Rel Easter on Unsplash

One of the primary reasons that childcare is so expensive is the fact that it is a labor-intensive industry. Childcare providers must be trained and qualified in order to provide the necessary care and supervision for young children, and this requires significant time and resources. Additionally, childcare facilities must meet stringent safety and regulatory standards, which can add to the cost of providing care.

Another factor contributing to the high cost of childcare is the fact that demand for these services often exceeds supply. In many areas, there are not enough childcare providers to meet the needs of working parents, which can drive up prices. Additionally, the hours that…

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Aswathy Prasad

AWS Solutions Architect | Engineer | interested in quirky stories | writes about experiences, learnings and feelings |afraid of uselessness