PS Ann Wangombe: Childcare Is the Missing Link in Gender Equality
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At a high-level policy dialogue at Yale University, Kenya’s PS for Gender, Ann Wangombe, made a bold case: affordable, quality childcare isn’t just a social service—it’s an economic game changer.
Speaking at the global forum co-hosted by Yale’s Economic Growth Center and Inclusion Economics, in collaboration with the Gates Foundation and other academic institutions, Wangombe emphasized childcare as central to unlocking women’s potential, improving child development, and boosting household welfare—especially in low-income settings.
“Without proper care infrastructure, women can’t fully participate in the workforce,” Wangombe said. “We’re holding back entire communities.”
Highlighting the partnership between Kenya’s Tharaka Nithi County and top universities like Kenyatta and Yale, Wangombe pointed to real progress in integrating evidence-based childcare policies at the county level—thanks in part to strong support from Governor Muthomi Njuki.
Her message was clear: child care is not a luxury. It’s a critical development priority that affects everything from economic productivity to education outcomes.
Under her leadership, the State Department for Gender is working to make care infrastructure a pillar of policy, championing it as a foundation for true gender equality.
“Investing in childcare is investing in our collective future,” Wangombe said. “And the time to act is now.”
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