Care – and mothers – must be at the center of systemic changes to our economy

“The pandemic has shown us who is doing the work that really matters: nurses, teachers, care workers. As we recover, we need to remember this. It is time to end the inequities of unpaid care work and create new economic models that work for everyone”
Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-Genera, Town Hall with Young Women from Civil Society Organizations on 31 August 2020

We at MMM fully agree but place MOTHERS alongside teachers, nurses and care workers. Mothers have also played a key role in keeping their children, families and communities together.

The crisis has shown what really matters: It has all been about care and education, and the people performing these duties. Whether paid or unpaid, they must be better recognized and supported.

The Covid-19 crisis gives us a unique opportunity to “build back better” and it starts with our economy. We MUST move away from an economy that prioritizes GDP growth and profit-making over the wellbeing of people and the planet.

Instead we must design a new caring economic model that values, recognizes and enables the conditions for us all to care and be cared for.

A few governments have started to move to a “wellbeing economy” and are showing us the way.

We call on the UN and member States to support such a shift by establishing a new platform to discuss indicators to replace GDP and to drive us towards a caring new economic model.

MMM Oral Statement for download

Karen Thorsen delivered this statement on behalf of MMM on 15 September during the General Debate on Item 2 of the 45th Session of the Human Rights Council.