Childcare, labor supply, and business development: Experimental Evidence from Uganda: Policy brief

Abstract

Social norms, market imperfections and the structure of the labour market may limit women’s labour market opportunities in low-income contexts. While access to childcare has been critical for mothers’ labour supply in many high-income countries, it remains an open question whether it can improve maternal labour market outcomes in low-in- come settings and how it affects other household members. We present findings from a field experiment that we designed and implemented in Uganda to understand the impact of free childcare on the mother’s business development and labour supply. More- over, we add to the literature by also considering the impact of childcare on the labour supply of other household members, as well as a range of outcomes related to family welfare, including child development. This research is part of the Gender, Growth and Labour Markets in Low Income Countries programme