Drawing on findings from the BRAC CARE project’s midline evaluation, this op-ed offers a timely and evidence-based exploration of the dual burden faced by low-income urban mothers in Bangladesh. While home-based childcare interventions have meaningfully expanded women’s working hours and improved household incomes, re-entering the workforce simultaneously exposes mothers to psychological distress and safety anxieties. The piece argues that professionalising community-based care — built around trusted local caregivers — is essential for developing a national policy framework that genuinely supports vulnerable working mothers.
Drawing on findings from the BRAC CARE project’s midline evaluation, this op-ed offers a timely and evidence-based exploration of the dual burden faced by low-income urban mothers in Bangladesh. While home-based childcare interventions have meaningfully expanded women’s working hours and improved household incomes, re-entering the workforce simultaneously exposes mothers to psychological distress and safety anxieties. The piece argues that professionalising community-based care — built around trusted local caregivers — is essential for developing a national policy framework that genuinely supports vulnerable working mothers.
