Government of the Republic of Fiji
Government of the Republic of Fiji
10/24/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/23/2024 23:24
CHILDCARE CHALLENGES HIGHLIGHTED AT THE 2024...
The Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Hon. Lynda Tabuya, delivered the opening address at a side event organised by UN Women and the International Finance Corporation, and held along the margins of the 2024 Asia-Pacific Care Forum currently underway in Bangkok, Thailand.
The session, titled 'How Can We Foster Public-Private Collaborations for Family-Friendly Workplaces?', focused on the pressing need for improved childcare services.
In her address, Minister Tabuya highlighted the significant challenges faced by both male and female employees and employers in Fiji when it comes to accessing childcare.
"As urban migration increases, many families find themselves distanced from traditional extended family networks that have in the past provided childcare support. This shift has resulted in gaps in quality and affordable care, which are critical for working parents," stated Hon. Tabuya.
The Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection pointed out that the absence of childcare services has led to high rates of absenteeism and turnover among employees, decreased productivity, and difficulties in recruiting skilled workers. Also highlighting that, aside from registered kindergartens, there are currently no regulations governing essential aspects of childcare, including child-to-staff ratios, child protection, health and safety standards, cleanliness, nutrition, or infection control.
Minister Tabuya stated that to address these challenges, the Ministry has collaborated with the International Finance Corporation to develop a childcare guidance note which would provide the Fiji government with the tools and steps to go forward with policies that will foster better outcomes for children, support working parents and improve women's employment, giving Fiji's working parents an expectation that the companies and services they trust to care for their children will be good quality.
The Early Childhood Care Policy and Regulatory Framework Guidance Note was developed in response to a 2019 IFC study, "Tackling Childcare: the business case for employer supported childcare in Fiji."
This study revealed that while 43% of Fiji's workforce has preschool-aged children, only 8% utilise childcare services, leading many working parents to depend on family or unqualified babysitters.
Minister Tabuya also shed light on report findings which found care work to be a significant barrier to women's economic participation, with only 37% of Fijian women being economically active compared to 72% of men, despite women comprising 60-65% of university students.
Additionally, Fijian women spend two to three times more on unpaid domestic and care work than their male counterparts. The report stated that employers also faced substantial losses, averaging 12.7 days of lost work time per employee due to childcare responsibilities, costing up to FJ$550,000 annually.
"The Government of Fiji recognizes the widespread benefits that can flow from improving access to childcare services, and in response to the findings of IFC's study, the Government took prompt action to establish a Taskforce, which is spearheaded by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, and comprised of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Finance, a representative of the Fiji Private Sector, a representative of the Fiji Childcare Services, UNICEF, IFC and the World Bank. As a sub-committee of the National Coordinating Committee on Children, the taskforce will address the policy and regulation for childcare services," stated Minister Tabuya commending the funding support provided by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand to initiate this work.
Minister Tabuya also posed a challenge to session participants stating "As politicians, advocates, and technical experts the challenge before us is clear: we must return to our countries, organisations, and communities and start reviewing the policies and laws that ensure our children are cared for in safe, high-quality environments where care work is recognised and distributed equally. Together, we can build a future where both children and caregivers are valued and supported in every nation."
The session, titled 'How Can We Foster Public-Private Collaborations for Family-Friendly Workplaces?', focused on the pressing need for improved childcare services.
In her address, Minister Tabuya highlighted the significant challenges faced by both male and female employees and employers in Fiji when it comes to accessing childcare.
"As urban migration increases, many families find themselves distanced from traditional extended family networks that have in the past provided childcare support. This shift has resulted in gaps in quality and affordable care, which are critical for working parents," stated Hon. Tabuya.
The Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection pointed out that the absence of childcare services has led to high rates of absenteeism and turnover among employees, decreased productivity, and difficulties in recruiting skilled workers. Also highlighting that, aside from registered kindergartens, there are currently no regulations governing essential aspects of childcare, including child-to-staff ratios, child protection, health and safety standards, cleanliness, nutrition, or infection control.
Minister Tabuya stated that to address these challenges, the Ministry has collaborated with the International Finance Corporation to develop a childcare guidance note which would provide the Fiji government with the tools and steps to go forward with policies that will foster better outcomes for children, support working parents and improve women's employment, giving Fiji's working parents an expectation that the companies and services they trust to care for their children will be good quality.
The Early Childhood Care Policy and Regulatory Framework Guidance Note was developed in response to a 2019 IFC study, "Tackling Childcare: the business case for employer supported childcare in Fiji."
This study revealed that while 43% of Fiji's workforce has preschool-aged children, only 8% utilise childcare services, leading many working parents to depend on family or unqualified babysitters.
Minister Tabuya also shed light on report findings which found care work to be a significant barrier to women's economic participation, with only 37% of Fijian women being economically active compared to 72% of men, despite women comprising 60-65% of university students.
Additionally, Fijian women spend two to three times more on unpaid domestic and care work than their male counterparts. The report stated that employers also faced substantial losses, averaging 12.7 days of lost work time per employee due to childcare responsibilities, costing up to FJ$550,000 annually.
"The Government of Fiji recognizes the widespread benefits that can flow from improving access to childcare services, and in response to the findings of IFC's study, the Government took prompt action to establish a Taskforce, which is spearheaded by the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, and comprised of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Medical Services, Ministry of Finance, a representative of the Fiji Private Sector, a representative of the Fiji Childcare Services, UNICEF, IFC and the World Bank. As a sub-committee of the National Coordinating Committee on Children, the taskforce will address the policy and regulation for childcare services," stated Minister Tabuya commending the funding support provided by the Governments of Australia and New Zealand to initiate this work.
Minister Tabuya also posed a challenge to session participants stating "As politicians, advocates, and technical experts the challenge before us is clear: we must return to our countries, organisations, and communities and start reviewing the policies and laws that ensure our children are cared for in safe, high-quality environments where care work is recognised and distributed equally. Together, we can build a future where both children and caregivers are valued and supported in every nation."