Harnessing digital technologies for maternal health and parenting – A real bonus for family wellbeing?

31.01.21

UN New York, CSocD59 - On 12 February, join MMM’s virtual side-event during the 59th UN Commission on Social Development.

Event Flyer

The pandemic has highlighted the critical role digital technologies are playing in family life.

This event will showcase transformational initiatives and good practices benefitting mothers and their children, focusing on the huge potential of maternal and child mobile health, specially in developing countries.

It will also address the challenges that ‘connected parents’ face under confinement, as digital technology invades their everyday lives.

Practical information

Provisional program

Speakers Bios

Moderator: Valerie Bichelmeier, Vice-President, Make Mothers Matter

  • Opening video: 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 mother and families (with Ceprodih in Uruguay, Mame Pentru Mame in Romania, L’Heure Joyeuse in Morocco, amongst others – from our MMM Voices Covid-19 video series)

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

Part II – Challenges faced by mothers / parents in relation to the use of digital technology

  • Short video featuring Roberto Martinez, Director of Fundacion Mas Familia, an MMM member organisation based in Spain which promotes the reconciliation of personal, family and professional life, on the advent of telework and the challenges it poses (from an interview conducted in Summer 2020 as part of MMM Voices Covid-19 video series)
  • Arja Krauchenberg, project-coordinator, European Parents’ Association (EPA), an MMM member association, on the challenges that families face with regards to online  homeschooling and telework
  • Michael Rich, Founder and Director, Center of Media and Child Health, Harvard University on the impact of digital technology on children and how parents can be guided – See also his website ‘Mediatrics

Q&A

Background information

This event is organised on the margins of the 59th session of the UN Commission on Social Development, which will take place virtually 8-17 February 2021, with  ‘Socially just transition towards sustainable development: the role of digital technologies on social development and well-being of all’ as its priority theme. The full programme and list of side-events is available on the Commission’s website.

Additional background information is available on our event’s concept note

Please register here

 

Most read articles

Envisioning care as a common thread to global crises

29.07.24

UN New York - Our virtual HLPF side-event brought together experts to shed light on how the various global crises we face (in particular climate change and other environmental crises,

Lire plus

We call for multi-stakeholder approach to recognise and support unpaid care work

21.07.24

UN New York - Participating in the meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) on care and support systems, MMM reaffirmed the principle of co-responsibility, which should underpin

Lire plus

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
See all the articlesof the category

Latest News from MMM and its Network

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

Placing Target 5.4 at the Core: A Key to Accelerating SDG Synergies

06.07.25

UN New York – Ahead of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) MMM's written statement focuses on Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 on Gender equality, which is under review this year. More specifically

Read more

Financing for development: time to invest in Care and Wellbeing

06.07.25

From 30 June to 3 July, Make Mothers Matter was in Sevilla, Spain, for the 4th UN International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4). Here’s a look back at this major UN event and the key takeaways

Read more

Financing for development matters for mothers

05.07.25

Following the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Sevilla, Spain, we explore why Financing for Development is critical for mothers around the world.

Read more

Belgian Mothers Face Alarming Rates of Burnout and Perinatal Depression, New EU Survey Finds

03.07.25

Belgian mothers are facing a mental health crisis. According to the State of Motherhood in Europe 2024 survey by Make Mothers Matter (MMM) and Kantar, Belgium reports the highest rates of both maternal burnout

Read more