Linking child care and development programs with programs for women is a good investment. During the first six years of a child's life, foundation stones are laid through good nutrition, appropriate interactions and stimulation, and nurturing safe care. Studies in both developed and developing countries have shown that an investment in young children pays off in many types of social benefits. Children who receive quality care in their early years are more likely to become productive participants in their communities. They perpetuate the cycles of poverty which Women in Development programs are seeking to eradicate.
Child care needs to be seen as a legitimate form of employment and income generation for women.
Educating girls is the first step in educating women. Organized child care offers multiple benefits. Not only can it help children develop the appropriate basis for later learning and development, but it can also serve women to help them meet their responsibilities. The provision of child care in a community also frees girls, the informal caretakers in many societies, to attend school. Quality child care needs to be promoted and created wherever efforts are being made to improve the situation of women.