Based on an examination of childcare provision across 48 countries in Asia and the Pacific, this report highlights why and how investing in childcare can advance gender equality, decent work and sustainable development in the region. It calls for greater investment in quality, accessible and affordable childcare, paired with decent work for the care workers who provide it.

The report offers policymakers, development partners, researchers and civil society practical analysis and recommendations on childcare policy and institutional frameworks for children aged 0 to 6 years, including in-depth country case studies. It makes the economic and social case for childcare as shared infrastructure that benefits children, families and economies.