Harnessing digital technologies for family wellbeing: our collective responsibility

14.02.21

UN New York, CSocD59 - A look back at our virtual side-event that took place on February 12th to coincide with the 59th UN Commission on Social Development

It is an understatement to say that the pandemic has given rise to digital technologies becoming central to our personal, family and professional lives, with all three often overlapping. The objective of the event was to address its impact on family wellbeing.

The first part of the virtual discussion covered the benefits, with a focus on the huge potential offered by maternal and child mobile health. Two mobile apps were presented: SAHFA’s JamboMama! and Best Beginnings’ Baby Buddy app. Both technologies are geared to empowering parents, mothers especially, with information and a communication tool to improve maternal and child health.

The event’s second part addressed the challenges that ‘connected parents’ face, especially under confinement as digital technologies invade their everyday lives, turning their homes into offices, their private lives into professional ones. Whether on telework, online distance learning or managing screen times and uses in their children’s lives, it was agreed that parents need both support and information/education on how to make the best use of these technologies to ensure the wellbeing of every family member.

It is now up to us to make digital technologies contribute to family wellbeing.

Full recording of the webinar

Speakers presentations

  • Opening video – ‘Our global MMM grassroots network responds’: featuring testimonials from grassroots NGOs within the MMM network highlighting lasting impacts of the Covid-19 crisis and how they have creatively used digital technology to support mothers and families (with Ceprodih in Uruguay, Mame Pentru Mame in Romania, L’Heure Joyeuse in Morocco, amongst others)
    Watch the video on YouTube

Part I – Practical examples of mobile technologies to improve mother and child health

Part II – Challenges faced by mothers / parents on the use of digital technology

Other information

Speakers Bios

For background information, see also our invitation article

The webinar took place on the margins of the 59th session of the UN Commission on Social Development (8-17 February) with ‘Socially just transition towards sustainable development: the role of digital technologies on social development and well-being of all’ as the priority theme.

Our report of the event was also published on the UN Social Development Network (UNSDN) website.

Resources

JamboMama! – SAHFA’s mobile app connecting (pregnant) mothers to health care providers

The Baby Buddy app – Best Beginnings (UK)

Mediatrics

 

 

Most read articles

The New EU Gender Equality Roadmap : A Call for Inclusion of Mothers

04.03.25

The European Commission’s initiative on a new Gender Equality Roadmap post-2025, marks a significant step forward in addressing gender disparities across the European Union. Make Mothers Matter (MMM

Lire plus

Sharing is caring:
equal parenting, a path to social cohesion?

27.01.25

UN New York, UN Commission on Social Development – Register now to our virtual side-event for a discussion on how a more equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work

Lire plus

Child and Family Support in Europe : ensuring families receive the best possible care

05.12.24

We were delighted to coorganise, together with the European Parents Association (EPA), the “Quality Assurance in Child and Family Support in Europe: Policy Lessons for Evidence-Informed Decision

Lire plus
See all the articlesof the category

Latest News from MMM and its Network

Mothers: The Missing Link in Child Rights Discussions?

01.08.25

UN New York – Following the Human Rights Council's 2025 Annual day on the rights of the child – which focussed on Early Childhood Development – a resolution on that same topic will be tabled at the 80th U

Read more

Human-Centred Strategy: Care at the Core of Sustainability

29.07.25

UN New York – UN New York – On 16 July, we hosted a side-event at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF) titled Unpaid Care at the Core: A Catalyst for Achieving the SDGs. The event aimed to highlight the

Read more

Empowering Mothers, Advancing Rights: MMM at HRC59

14.07.25

UN Geneva - The UN Human Rights Council provides a crucial platform for advocacy and engagement on key human rights issues that affect mothers. This overview highlights MMM’s engagement at the 59th session of

Read more

Intergenerational Solidarity in work-life balance and childcare

13.07.25

MMM was invited to speak at AGE’s annual conference, which focused on contributing to the EU Strategy on Intergenerational Fairness. The event explored a range of key areas, including the labour market, healt

Read more

Joint Letter to EU Leaders: MMM and Partners Advocate for Strategic Investment in Children and Families

09.07.25

Make Mothers Matter, along with 24 member organisations of the Alliance for Investing in Children, has sent a joint letter to Ursula von der Leyen (President of the European Commission), Roberta Metsola (Presid

Read more

Unpaid Care at the Core: A Catalyst for Achieving the SDGs

06.07.25

UN New York / HLPF - Register now to join us online for our High Level Political Forum side-event.

Read more