08.06.21
ILO's International Labour Conference - MMM's intervention stressed the critical importance, relevance, and legitimacy of realizing universal social protection for unpaid caregivers, especially mothers.
The Covid-19 crisis has exposed how the inequitable distribution of care responsibilities is a source of economic injustice for women, creating challenges that most mothers face in trying to juggle care responsibilities with paid work.
As part of the ‘decent work’ agenda, it is high time governments and employers address this issue and seriously invest in supporting women, parents and other caregivers doing this essential yet unpaid, mostly invisible work of caring.
First, unpaid care work must be recognized as work, essential work which in the long-term benefits communities and society as a whole. It is therefore also a collective responsibility.
Second, social protection must be considered as an investment, not as an expense that should be minimized.
Supporting caregivers, parents especially, through targeted public services AND adequate social protection is investing in people and families. Ultimately it is also about investing in children – and we know how critical nurturing care is during early childhood. It is investment with high returns, especially for vulnerable families.
To conclude, the pandemic provides a unique opportunity for systemic changes, and this begins by changing narratives:
- Unpaid family care work IS work, and a collective responsibility, hence the need for universal social protection.
- Social protection must be considered as a long-term investment.
MMM was among 7 International NGOs that contributed to the Recurrent Discussion on Social protection at the 109th International Labour Conference (ILC109).
We also fully agree with the EU that realizing Universal Social Protection “is both a right that belongs to all human beings and an investment with high social and economic returns. It strongly contributes to reducing poverty, vulnerability, social exclusion and inequalities, tackling gender gaps while enhancing political stability, fairness, solidarity and social cohesion”.
02.07.22
UN New York, HLPF - Join us on July 11th for a discussion on how #SharingTheCare at every level - family, community, governments and private sector - is vital for
26.04.22
We are delighted to be launching our new podcast series An almost Perfect Mother featuring Isabelle Roskam, professor of development and parenting psychology at the University of Louvain, Belgium. Isa
09.05.22
UN New York, HLPF - In the Sustainable Development Goals, Target 5.4 calls for the recognition, reduction and redistribution of unpaid family care work, i.e. the domestic and care work
31.03.23
Emotional intelligence is a vital skill that helps people build healthy and fulfilling relationships, maintain their mental health, make good decisions, and develop leadership skills. Unfortunately, emotional i
23.03.23
UN New York - On the occasion of the World Water Day and the UN Water Conference, MMM highlights the impact of the lack of access to safe and clean water on women's unpaid care work. This is a key barrier to th
19.03.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - Framing Care as a Human Right at the UN level - right to care, right to be cared for, right to self-care - would unequivocally put obligations on all governments to provide ade
14.03.23
Make Mothers Matter submitted its contribution to the Call for Evidence of the EU Commission on Mental Health.
10.03.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - The dialog following the presentation of the report Women, girls and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment was the opportunity for MMM to reaffirm the urgen
10.03.23
UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - At the annual day on the rights of the child, which focused on child rights in the digital environment, MMM reaffirmed the importance of considering parents as key stakeholders