Across Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, some of the lowest rates of females in the labor force are recorded. In Lebanon, 27% of women of working age are in the workforce, compared to only 14% in Jordan. To encourage increased female labor force participation, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Bank (WB) joined forces, and launched Care Arabia – to address one of the most critical barriers to women’s labor force participation, namely limited access to childcare.
Accordingly, the organizations, and backed by companies in the region, launched a series of programs under Care Arabia, to encourage the access to affordable and safe childcare, creating equal opportunity for women in the labor market. The key expected outcomes of Care Arabia are an increase in female work force participation and the enhanced development of children, with employers and society at large to benefit.
To understand what employers in Lebanon and Jordan are doing to help bridge this gap as part of Care Arabia, we sat with Jinan Mantash Communications Manager at Wakilni, Hiba Bejjani, Chief People Officer at Wakilni and Christelle Moarbes, Senior HR Generalist, at ZRE, to learn more.
BDD: Firstly, Jinan, can you tell us why Wakilni decided to participate in Care Arabia?
JM: Our participation in Care Arabia stems from our ongoing commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, with a particular focus on supporting working mothers. We previously collaborated with the IFC on the “Journey to Gender Diversity” project, which highlighted areas for improvement, such as increasing female representation in leadership roles and warehousing positions. Care Arabia presented a natural next step, allowing us to leverage our existing in-house nursery and transform it into a more systematic and impactful program.
BDD: And Christelle, why is the initiative important to ZRE?
CM: In today’s fast-paced work environment, providing comprehensive support to working moms and parents is essential. By participating in this event, we aim to learn from other companies, gain fresh insights, and explore innovative childcare benefits that we can integrate into our own offerings.
The importance of launching this initiative lies in our dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive workplace. Childcare benefits are a crucial aspect of this, as they help alleviate the stress and challenges faced by working parents, enabling them to balance their professional and personal lives more effectively. By investing in these benefits, we not only enhance employee satisfaction and retention but also foster a more productive and motivated workforce.
BDD: What is Wakilni’s role moving forward?
JM: As a Care Arabia partner, Wakilni plays a key role in implementing the initiative and fostering collaboration with other private companies. We aim to establish a regional network of childcare providers, ensuring high-quality services and better connecting these services with working mothers who need them most.
BDD: Christelle, what are your plans and commitments at ZRE?
CM: Together, with Care Arabia, we aim to enhance the lives of working mothers by providing them with much-needed support and resources to balance their professional and personal responsibilities. Our initiative focuses on delivering comprehensive childcare benefits that address the unique challenges faced by working mothers.
We plan to provide them with access to trusted, quality childcare services to ensure that working mothers can have peace of mind knowing their children are in safe and nurturing environments while they are at work. Additionally, we will offer flexible work arrangements that allow working mothers to have more control over their schedules.
By implementing these measures and learning new techniques and experiences from other companies in the program, we will be able to offer working mothers opportunities for career advancement and skill development, helping them thrive both personally and professionally.
BDD: Hiba, we know that Wakilni has already made strides in this realm. Can you share any success stories to date?
HB: While Care Arabia is still in its early stages, we have already witnessed the positive impact of our in-house nursery on our employees’ lives. It has helped us retain a client partnership manager who wouldn’t have been able to find suitable childcare elsewhere, and it facilitated the return of a female accountant who previously left the company. Care Arabia aligns with our CEO’s personal commitment to creating a work environment that empowers both ambition and family life.
BDD: Wakilni has some best practices that support working mothers. Can you share a few?
HB: Wakilni offers a comprehensive suite of programs and policies that go beyond just childcare to create a truly inclusive environment for working mothers. These include:
- Increased parental leave: We extended both paternity and maternity leave by one week.
- Flexible work arrangements: Recognizing the importance of work-life balance, we allow employees flexibility to work from home when possible, depending on their job role.
- Dedicated childcare: Our in-house nursery provides a safe and nurturing space for young children, offering peace of mind to working parents. We plan to expand childcare solutions within the next three years, by developing a full-fledged, Montessori-based daycare facility that offers an enriching educational program for our employees and children.
- Supportive policies: We have implemented policies that safeguard employee rights and promote equality, including a Sexual Harassment Policy, Equal Employment Opportunity Policy, and a Human Rights Policy with a specific focus on non-discrimination and women’s rights.
- Ongoing awareness training: To ensure a respectful and inclusive environment, we conduct regular training sessions for all employees, including drivers, on topics like unconscious bias and respectful workplace behavior.
What are your organizations doing to support women to enter and remain in the workforce?
