Supporting working parents to give children the best start
Advancing family frendly workplaces for children and working parents
Creating supportive workplaces for families is essential to improving children’s health, nutrition, and early development. In Belize, many working parents, especially mothers, still face challenges continuing breastfeeding and accessing childcare after returning to work, often due to limited workplace facilities and policies.
While nearly 70 percent of working-age men are employed or actively seeking work, only 47.2 percent of women are part of the labour force, reflecting the disproportionate burden of domestic responsibilities and caregiving that often limits their economic opportunities. These inequalities are further underscored by higher unemployment among women, at 3 percent compared to 1.1 percent for men. This gap highlights the critical need for supportive policies and partnerships to create more inclusive workplaces that enable women, especially mothers, to enter and remain in the workforce.
To help address these barriers, UNICEF Belize partnered with Transparent BPO, one of the country’s largest private‑sector employers, to pilot family‑friendly workplace practices that support parents and protect children’s well‑being.
A private sector partnership that supports children’s rights
Initiated in 2024, the partnership reflects UNICEF’s Child Rights and Business agenda, which encourages businesses to play an active role in promoting child and family well‑being. Transparent BPO employs more than 1,500 people, including a large number of women and working parents making it a powerful platform for positive change.
UNICEF provided technical assistance and advisory support to help translate commitment into action. Working closely with Transparent BPO leadership, UNICEF brought together expertise from its Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, and Communications sections, alongside the Ministry of Human Development, Family Support and Gender Affairs and the Ministry of Health and Wellness. The team provided guidance on setting up safe and comfortable lactation rooms, support to navigate requirements for onsite childcare services, and the provision of evidence‑based breastfeeding promotion messages approved by the Ministry of Health and Wellness.This multi‑sector collaboration ensured that workplace improvements aligned with national standards and global best practice.
Importantly, all infrastructure, operational, and communications costs were fully funded by Transparent BPO, demonstrating strong private‑sector ownership and ensuring sustainability beyond the initial engagement.
Key results for families and children
The partnership has delivered tangible, child‑centred outcomes:
- Two fully equipped lactation rooms, one at each Transparent BPO site, providing privacy, comfort, and safety for breastfeeding mothers
- A workplace lactation policy introduced to formalize support for breastfeeding employees
- Onsite childcare services launched to support working parents
- Over 1,500 employees reached, including more than 900 women, and hundreds of mothers and fathers
- 49 mothers returning from maternity leave in 2025 directly benefiting from improved workplace support
These measures help parents balance work and caregiving responsibilities contributing to better nutrition, bonding, and early childhood development.
This collaboration highlights the powerful role the private sector can play when supported with clear guidance and strong partnerships. By investing in family‑friendly workplaces, businesses can help improve children’s health outcomes, strengthen families, and contribute to more inclusive and resilient communities.
UNICEF Belize remains committed to working with government and business partners to create environments where parents are supported and every child gets the best start in life.
