Care: The Invisible Force Shaping Society

Farah’s powerful intervention was part of the high-level panel discussion on the emerging issues Eradicating poverty and ensuring dignity through resilient care and support systems, which took place on 4th February.

Her three core messages were clear:

1. Caregiving is a foundational public good – one that generates far-reaching economic, social, and intergenerational returns.
2. The care deficit is systemic, not individual, and disproportionately borne by women—especially mothers.
3. Investing in comprehensive care and support systems is among the most strategic and cost-effective choices governments can make to advance gender equality, social inclusion, dignity, and long-term human flourishing.

“If we aspire not merely to human development, but to human flourishing, care must sit at the centre of social development strategies. […]

If social development is about people, then mothers are its foundation—and strong care systems are how we sustain and protect that foundation.”

→ Watch the intervention on the UN Web TV Recording (it starts at about 2:00:00)

📄 Read the full speech

MMM also took part in the general discussion of the Commission. In our statement, delivered by Aurelie Cole, MMM UN representative in New York, we also called for the progressive building of strong, equitable care systems as a top priority for social development. We highlighted key components of such care systems:

1. Recognising care as a right — the right to care, to receive care, and to self-care — as recommended in 2025 by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights
2. Recognising unpaid care as productive work that builds valuable skills for the labour market
3. Redistributing unpaid care more equitably between men and women, and across society — with families, communities, the private sector, and governments at all levels sharing responsibilities and costs
4. Making unpaid care visible in statistics, starting with SDG Indicator 5.4.1, to enable regular monitoring of care policies
5. Ensuring universal social protection — or at least a social protection floor — for unpaid caregivers, including maternity protection and pension credits
6. Guaranteeing access to quality, affordable care services for children, older persons, people with disabilities and other dependents
7. Developing policy packages to support mothers and other unpaid caregivers, so families are not forced to choose between earning and caring

→ Watch the intervention on UN Web TV (MMM takes the floor at 1:51:00)

📄 Read the full statement

See also:

• MMM’s written statement to the Commission on Care, the overlooked dimension of social development and justice
• MMM side-event on Unlocking the power of care: skills, equity, and social transformation