ILO Maternity Leave Benefits Feasibility Study (2025–2026)
Informing Inclusive Maternity Protection for Informal Sector Workers in Rwanda
CIICHIN, commissioned by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Rwanda Social Security Board (RSSB), is conducting a qualitative study to inform the feasibility of extending maternity leave benefits to women working in Rwanda’s informal sector. The study responds to a critical policy gap: while Rwanda’s current maternity leave benefits scheme covers women in formal employment, most women working in the informal economy remain excluded from income protection during pregnancy and after childbirth.
The study is generating evidence on the views, experiences, and preferences of potential beneficiaries and contributors regarding maternity cash benefits for informal workers. Through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews across eight districts in the Kivu Belt and the City of Kigali, the research explores willingness to contribute, preferred benefit models, eligibility and enrollment preferences, and barriers to uptake. It also captures lessons from the ongoing maternity cash transfer pilot reaching approximately 3,400 mothers, while documenting personal testimonies on the social and economic value of maternity income protection.
CIICHIN is leading the design and implementation of the qualitative research, including tool development, ethics preparation, field data collection, transcription and translation, qualitative analysis, and synthesis of findings into policy-relevant recommendations. By providing robust evidence on how maternity protection can be expanded beyond the formal workforce, this study is contributing to more inclusive social protection policy and helping shape pathways toward equitable maternity income security in Rwanda.