Vision and Mission
“Women bring various powers to the table. One is the power of the purse […] Second, they bring the power of life.
I think that actually giving birth gives you a sense of prosperity, heritage, transmission, that is quite special.
I know it’s going to be controversial but I think maternity is central to making sure that our children inherit something that is sustainable, that they can live in, live with and transmit to other generations.”
Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank
in a November 2020 New York Times interview
Make Mothers Matter (MMM), formerly Mouvement Mondial des Mères, is an international NGO founded in 1947 at UNESCO in Paris. MMM is the only global organisation dedicated to advocating and representing mothers. Independent, non-partisan and non-denominational, we amplify mothers’ voices, work to strengthen their position in society, and champion a feminist perspective centred on their realities and rights. We voice mothers’ concerns at the highest level at the European Union, UNESCO and the United Nations, where MMM holds General Consultative Status.
MMM brings together a network of around fifty member organisations working with and for mothers across five continents.
Vision
A world where mothers, free to make their own choices and respected in their rights, can fully embrace motherhood and their lives as women, free from discrimination, and are recognised as agents of change.
Mission
We amplify mothers’ voices, defend their rights and promote their empowerment, advocate the recognition of their contributions to development and peace. We work to improve the social, economic and political conditions which enable them to live out their motherhood, pursue their personal aspirations and fulfil their family responsibilities with dignity.
We work to:
- Defend mothers’ rights, autonomy, dignity and freedom of choice, and combat discrimination and the penalties associated with motherhood.
- Promote recognition, appreciation and support for unpaid care work, which is largely carried out by women, and encourage a more equitable sharing of this work.
- Integrate the realities of parenthood into gender equality policies.
- Improve mothers’ physical and mental health, recognise the importance of early mother–child bonding and promote conditions conducive to children’s healthy development.
- Increase mothers’ representation and full participation in civic and political life, including peace and security processes, to help build more peaceful, inclusive and resilient societies.
How We Work
We act through networking, advocacy and communication.
We draw on the experience and expertise of our network of member organisations to bring mothers’ realities to the forefront. At national and international levels, we engage with policymakers and the wider public to influence policies, practices and the way society views mothers.
Our poles of action are education, health, peace and the economy.
Our guiding principles
MMM upholds the principles of international law, particularly those enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC).
MMM’s advocacy focuses on mothers in all their diversity and circumstances.
MMM fully respects women’s autonomy in matters of reproductive health, including their freedom to decide whether to continue or terminate a pregnancy and to access safe and appropriate healthcare.
Beyond the diversity of cultures and socio-economic environments, mothers have a lot in common. Our strength as an international NGO lies in bringing them together, whilst recognising their key role in education, health, economy and peace.
When mothers are heard and respected, informed and supported, they become key partners. And as partners, they must be consulted and involved in development projects, particularly those that directly impact them and their families.
Extracts from the Bylaws of Make Mothers Matter
