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

Single mothers need support, not stigmatization

31.10.19

UN New York, CSocD58 - In the written statement that it submitted ahead of the next session of the UN Commission on Social Development, MMM draws attention to single mothers’ specific vulnerability to poverty

Beijing+25: #FeministsWantSystemChange – Mothers too

31.10.19

UN Geneva, Beijing+25 - MMM was actively involved in the preparations of the CSO Forum that took place on 28 October, just before the UNECE intergovernmental meeting to review the implementation of the 1995 Bei

Final adoption of the Work-life balance Directive

22.07.19

Following its adoption by the Council of the EU and the European Parliament, the Work-life balance Directive has been finally published in the Official Journal on the 12th of July 2019. The Directive sets a num

An agreement finally reached by the Council of the EU on the work-life balance directive

23.06.19

After 2 years of intense negotiations among the EU institutions, on June 13th 2019 the Council of the EU Ministers adopted a Directive on work-life balance for parents and caregivers with a large majority in fa

MMM highlights persisting gender inequalities at EU levels

20.06.19

On the 31st of May 2019, the EU Delegation of Make Mothers Matter responded to the European Commission’s public consultation on the current EU strategic framework for gender equality (2016-19) and submitted a

The world of work must adapt to people and families, not the other way around

16.06.19

UN Geneva, International Labour Conference - MMM joins the ILO's call for a push for gender equality, and more investment in human capital We also call for a paradigm shift to put people and the planet at the c