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

Time Poverty and the Motherhood Penalty
Unveiling Economic and Social Injustices

09.07.24

Mothers play an essential role in families by ensuring their loved ones are nourished, educated, and healthy, but their unpaid care work often leads to economic and social injustices, known as the motherhood pe

A new social contract cannot ignore care

16.06.24

UN Geneva, 112th International Labour Conference (ILC) – MMM contributed to the discussion on the International Labour Organisation Director General’s report calling for a new social contract.

What mothers need from a care economy

16.06.24

UN Geneva – A general discussion on decent work and the care economy was on the agenda of the 112th International Labour Conference (ILC), which took place over the past two weeks. MMM was there, providing in

Reconciling parenthood and work in Belgium – join the public consultation

30.05.24

MMM is proud to announce its support of a new initiative aimed at tackling the vital topic of ‘parenthood and employment’, a critically overlooked, urgent, and complex issue world-wide.

Good laws and practices to advance care: MMM shares input

16.05.24

UN Geneva – In accordance with the resolution on the centrality of care and support from a human rights perspective, which was adopted by the Human Rights Council in October 2023, the Office of the High Commi

Mothers Can-Bringing mothers back to work

13.05.24

MMM is working on the project “Mothers Can-Bringing mothers back to work”, a European partnership between six countries (Belgium, Cyprus, Germany, Romania, Spain and Greece). The project aims to support mot