Care central to the realisation of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights

21.09.23

UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - As OHCHR seeks to reinforce its work on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, MMM highlights the centrality of Care to the realisation of these rights, in particular the unpaid care work of mothers. We also call for the recognition, support and fairer distribution of this work.

The following is the full text of the statement we delivered at the UN during the discussion on the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ vision to reinforce its work on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. This discussion took place on 15th September 2023 as part of the 54th session of the UN Human Rights Council.

Make Mothers Matter welcomes OHCHR’s vision to reinforce its work on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. We agree that urgent action is needed to deliver these rights in line with the 2030 Agenda.

We regret however that the importance of care and the strengthening of care and support systems as a means to respect and advance the enjoyment of human rights for all, is absent from this vision.

To quote Sec General Guterres, ‘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.’

Strengthening care and support systems should be at the heart of such new models, which must be based on Human Rights and serve the wellbeing of both people and the planet.

This means recognizing the essential value of the unpaid and underpaid work of caring, whose inequitable distribution has been a driver of exclusion and discrimination for women and girls, in particular for mothers.

It also means supporting and redistributing this vital work more equitably, not only between men and women, but also across society.

Care connects to many if not all human rights, in particular economic, social and cultural rights. It concerns all of us. It is time to put care at the centre, and to frame care as a right: right to care and right to be cared for.

MMM Statement for download

 

Most read articles

Leave no single mother Behind: solutions from across the world

05.02.23

UN New York, CSocD61 - The virtual event we are organizing as part of the 2023 UN Commission on Social Development will draw attention to the specificity of the situation

Lire plus

Women at the peace table: international Conference

14.04.23

Make Mothers Matter, together with the city of Ypres, and its grass roots partners Mothers for Peace, Mama Kivu and the Vrouwenraad, is organizing an international peace Conference Women at

Lire plus

Single Mothers within the European Union

14.12.22

Despite the growing number of families headed by a single parent, single parents remain one of the most vulnerable groups when it comes to poverty, housing and energy deficits, and

Lire plus
See all the articlesof the category

Latest News from MMM and its Network

A Green Deal must include a Care Deal – maternal mental health under the spotlight at EU Parliament

23.11.23

On November 7th, we co-hosted an event at the EU Parliament on peripartum depression with MEP Maria Noichl.

Read more

Breaking the Silence on Maternal Mental Health

13.11.23

Make Mothers Matter launched a new video series on Maternal Mental Health, addressing mothers, their families and society in general. Our aim is to highlight the latest research surrounding maternal health in o

Read more

Our members highlight why and how young mothers must be counted

24.10.23

A look back at our LP4Y event in New York

Read more

Join us in New York to find out why young mothers must be counted

12.10.23

As part of the LP4Y Youth Inclusion International Forum, which will take place on 18-19 October 2023 in New York/Brooklyn, Make Mothers Matter is organizing a session entitled Make Young Mothers Count, whose ma

Read more

MMM welcomes first ever Human Rights Council resolution on Care

11.10.23

UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - Entitled ‘Centrality of care and support from a human rights perspective’, this landmark resolution was presented by the governments of Argentina, Iceland, Mexico and Spain

Read more

Call to action: make 2024 the EU year for Women’s Mental Health

09.10.23

In June this year, the European Union (EU) Commission announced a new high-priority initiative to address the mental health of all Europeans.

Read more