Reclaiming Time: MMM at Sloworking Day 2026

07.04.26

By Angela Garcia Romero, project Director, Make Mothers Matter

At the second edition of Sloworking Day in Vimercate, Italy, I had the opportunity to present MMM’s work in a context where the “right to time” was at the heart of discussions on the future of work, wellbeing, and social sustainability. Bringing together researchers, businesses, and civil society, the event clearly showed that time—far from being a purely personal matter—is a critical social and political issue.

As part of the roundtable “Altri TEMPI possibili”, I presented key data highlighting one of the structural drivers of time inequality: the unequal distribution of care and mental load. The evidence is clear—women, and particularly mothers, continue to bear a disproportionate share of unpaid work. This has far-reaching consequences, limiting their access to paid employment, reducing their participation in public life, and affecting their overall wellbeing.

These findings point to the urgent need for stronger social infrastructures—such as accessible childcare, more supportive workplace policies, and meaningful cultural change—to ensure a fairer redistribution of care responsibilities. Without such systemic action, the “right to time” will remain out of reach for many women, with significant implications for mental health, gender equality, and social cohesion.

MMM’s contribution reinforces a key message that emerged from the event: restoring time for care, relationships, and participation is not a cost, but a necessary investment in building healthier, more inclusive, and more sustainable societies.

👉 The slides of MMM’s presentation (in Italian) are available here