Reconciliation of work and family life

MMM advocates the free choice of mothers and families to opt, at certain moments of their lives, to give priority to their family responsibilities and increase family presence.

Essential for mothers – and for fathers, this free choice is conditioned by the existence of policies to reconcile family life and professional life, which must include, among other things:

Child-birth related leave (maternity, paternity, parental leave).
Specific leave to deal with situations where assistance and care for relatives are needed.
A sufficient level of remuneration for these different types of leave.
The development of a diversified offer of childcare infrastructure and services.
The generalisation of flexibility in the world of work, not only for women but also for men.

The reconciliation of family and professional life, while being particularly debated at the European level, is an issue for all mothers, whatever their socio-economic and cultural context.

Recent news on the reconciliation of work and family life

She Does It All: The Devaluation of Caregiving in EU Work–Life Balance Policy

28.11.25

Across Europe, mothers carry out vast amounts of unpaid care work that keeps families and societies functioning—yet much of this labour remains largely invisible in EU policy. A new study shared with Make Mot

Recognising Mothers’ Realities: Key Wins in the New Gender Equality Resolution

27.11.25

The European Parliament has adopted a new resolution calling on the European Commission to deliver an ambitious 2026–2030 Gender Equality Strategy, centred on concrete legislative and non-legislative actions

Berlin Hosts Closing Event of MothersCan – Care, Career, Change

17.11.25

The official closing event of the Erasmus+ project MothersCan took place at the historic Biesdorf Palace in Berlin. Hosted by Olga Gauks, Member of the Berlin House of Representatives, the event brought to

Rebuilding the Modern Village: Mothers, Children, and Older Generations in Mutual Care

12.11.25

Make Mothers Matter (MMM) submitted its recommendations to the European Commission’s initiative on Intergenerational Fairness, aiming to ensure that today’s decisions do not compromise the well-being of fu

State of Motherhood in Europe – key findings presented at the Congress of Women in Poland

31.10.25

Katowice, September 2025 — The State of Motherhood in Europe report was officially launched in Poland during the

Recognising Mothers, Reducing Poverty
A call for an inclusive EU Anti-Poverty Strategy

23.10.25

Make Mothers Matter welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the European Commission’s first comprehensive Anti-Poverty Strategy and calls for bold, inclusive action to ensure it benefits those who need it m