Caring Africa Summit Holds February 23

Mary Nnah

MH Worklife is set to host the Caring Africa Summit on February 23 at the Alliance Francaise, Ikoyi, Lagos. The Summit will bring together key stakeholders in the public and private sectors to drive the conversation around care for families at home, in the workplace, and communities.

Caring Africa is powering the care revolution by building the care infrastructure necessary for business and economic growth. This will foster gender equity, and formalise the care economy for a sustainable society. Through advocacy for equitable care policies, they have continued to empower workplaces and communities to unlock Africa’s full potential.

The Care Africa Summit will be showcasing exemplary organisations that prioritize and implement effective care practices, offering valuable insights and inspiration to businesses, policymakers, and international organizations in attendance.

It would also aim to seek collaborations and support from policymakers, legislators, international organizations and non-governmental organizations to strengthen the impact of the care-focused initiatives and creation of a supportive legislative framework in Nigeria.

Executive Director of Caring Africa, Blessing Adesiyan stated that a proper conversation on the state of the healthcare sector was long overdue, and the Care Africa Summit presented the perfect opportunity.

“This summit is more than a conference; it’s a movement. A movement towards building a future where care is integrated seamlessly into the fabric of our professional and personal lives, enabling growth, equity, and well-being” she said.

Adesiyan revealed that the organization had the sole objective of improving the general awareness of healthcare across various socioeconomic groups: “At Caring Africa, we are powering care for women, workplaces, and economies in Africa and beyond. Our goal for 2024 is simple, to raise awareness of the importance of valuing care, and those who provide care that enables the rest of us to do other types of work. It’s time to elevate care in our homes, workplaces, and communities.”

She also noted that when adequate attention was given to care, it could have a positive ripple effect on economic growth and financing: “When we invest in care, the benefits go beyond numbers, it also the well-being of children, elderly, disabled, and ill. However, it also allows other economic activity to function properly, which means, working-age adults can contribute effectively to the economy due to adequate care infrastructure.”

“In the U.S., the care economy has been valued at over $650 billion, this does not include health care by the way. When we look at the potential worldwide, according to Oxfam, women and young girls around the world are losing $10.9 trillion yearly providing labour for free. When we start to value this care, we can reduce, redistribute, and monetize this labour,” she added.

She reiterated that the well-being of a nation should always remain at the top of its priorities, due to its level of impact on virtually every sector: “The outcomes of care contribute to the fundamental well-being of an organization or that of a nation. We can no longer ignore it. Care is the engine that drives our businesses and our economy behind the scenes.”