Care – Key contributor to peace and security

We stand in solidarity and salute the courage of all people living in conflicts and war zones which, in too many parts of the world, are destroying lives. The brutality and devastation they bring about have profound and long-lasting effects on all, particularly children.

In Ukraine, many mothers are ripping themselves away from husbands and families to secure safety for their children in neighbouring countries. Many live in fear without knowing what the next day will bring. UNHCR estimates that about 4 million people will flee the war-torn country in the next few months, making it one of the largest refugee crisis in the world.

Still, what we all need most, both in war and in peace, when young and when old, is Care, a key element of peace and security.

We are therefore calling on governments:

• To recognize Care as essential to peace and prosperity, and in particular, to recognize the work of mothers caring for and educating their children as a fundamental contribution to a peaceful society
• To foster the development of a society where caring for each other is a priority and adequately supported
• To use the wellbeing of both people and the planet as a measure of how well countries develop

MMM Oral Statement for download

Karen Thorsen, MMM Representative at the UN in Geneva, delivered this oral statement by video message at the occasion of the General Debate on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of the 49th Session of the Human Rights Council.