Mothers and the Economy
With their work and personal investment in their families and their children, all mothers, whether they are in paid employment or not, make a vital contribution to the economy of their country.
MMM advocates to give value to this unpaid family care work, working primarily for a better balance of family life and professional life. “Care” work must be given much more credit and should not be an obstacle to gender equality and the economic independence of mothers.
Unpaid family care work: vital but invisible and unrecognized
Its financial value is estimated between 10 and 40% of GDP and 2/3 of this work is assumed by women, specifically mothers. It is the first obstacle to their economic empowerment.
MMM in action
Awareness raising and advocacy on the issue of unpaid family care work: recognise, reduce & redistribute
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.
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
Discrimination in the economic sphere: the “motherhood penalty”
Beyond the first structural obstacle of unpaid family work, women around the world suffer from barriers, sometimes legal, often purely discriminatory - especially when they are mothers
Reconciliation between family and professional life
MMM defends women’s (and men’s!) free choice to be able to devote time to their family responsibilities - without being heavily penalised.
Reconciliation of Family Life and Work
Advocacy for policies of reconciliation between family life and professional life for all - a key area of work at the European level, mais an issue for every mother around the world.
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
Motherhood and Mental Health Under Pressure
03.07.25
Germany – Survey results from Germany reveal a troubling picture: mothers are under intense strain — mentally, economically, and socially.
