世界银行-黎巴嫩儿童保育景观的综合评估：一项混合方法研究（英）-2023-156页._1mb

Summary of the Comprehensive Assessment of the Childcare Landscape in Lebanon

Core Content

This report presents a mixed-methods study on the childcare landscape in Lebanon, examining both the supply and demand sides of childcare services. It highlights the impact of multiple crises on the country's labor market, particularly on women's economic participation, and outlines policy gaps, service availability, and parental preferences.

The study is part of the Mashreq Gender Facility (MGF), a World Bank - IFC initiative aimed at improving the enabling environment for women's economic participation in Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. It is supported by the Umbrella Facility for Gender Equality (UFGE) and other international partners.

Main Findings

Supply-Side Assessment

• Childcare services are predominantly private, with 81% of facilities run by the private sector, 7% by religious institutions, 6% by not-for-profit organizations, and 6% by the public sector.
• Geographic concentration is notable, with coastal areas having more childcare services than inland districts.
• Center-based childcare is the main type of formal childcare, with limited availability for children under one year.
• Operating hours are typically Monday to Friday, and only half of the surveyed providers offer services after 3pm.
• Affordability is a major concern, with monthly median prices for full-day services reaching 89% of the minimum wage.
• Financial challenges are widespread, with 9.5% of providers closing their doors due to the economic and health crises.
• Quality standards are mainly structural, with less focus on process quality.

Demand-Side Assessment

• Women are the primary caregivers, with 58% of surveyed mothers believing that home care is as fulfilling as paid work.
• 79% of surveyed mothers are satisfied with the distribution of childcare responsibilities in their households.
• Only 20% of surveyed households are willing to pay for childcare services, while 57% are not.
• Unmarried women without children have the highest labor force participation rates, whereas married women with young children have the lowest.
• Female labor force participation (FLFP) has declined from 29% (2018–2019) to 22% (2022), largely due to childcare unavailability and low wages.
• Childcare availability is low, and demand is constrained by cost, quality, and location.

Policy and Legal Framework

• There is no comprehensive childcare policy in Lebanon.
• Licensing is the main regulatory mechanism, but it only applies to private providers and center-based services.
• Home-based childcare remains unregulated.
• Family-friendly policies such as maternity and paternity leave are widely implemented, but childcare support is limited.
• Only 5% of surveyed employers offer childcare solutions, and 15% express willingness to do so in the future.

Key Recommendations and Policy Options

• Expand childcare services to meet the increasing demand and support women's labor force participation.
• Improve affordability and quality of childcare services to make them accessible to more families.
• Develop a national childcare policy that includes clear objectives, implementation plans, and budget allocations.
• Strengthen regulation of home-based childcare to ensure safety and quality.
• Promote public-private partnerships to increase the supply of childcare services and reduce costs.
• Enhance awareness and training for caregivers to improve service quality.
• Implement family-friendly policies across the private sector to support working parents.

Impact of Crises

• The economic and financial crisis, Beirut Port explosion, and COVID-19 pandemic have severely impacted the childcare sector.
• These events have reduced household incomes, increased service costs, and led to closures and reduced service availability.
• The lack of childcare options is a major barrier to women's labor force participation.

Conclusion

The study underscores the critical link between childcare access and women's economic participation. It calls for policy reforms to address the current gaps in childcare provision, improve affordability, and enhance quality. These reforms could lead to significant increases in FLFP, better child outcomes, and greater economic growth.

The report also highlights the need for a more inclusive and supportive environment for working parents, especially mothers, to ensure they can balance work and family responsibilities effectively.