UN Chief denounces ‘the fiction that unpaid care work is not work’

26.07.20

The UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres delivered a strong and compelling message in his recent Nelson Mandela Lecture: 'Tackling the Inequality Pandemic: A new social contract for a new era’.

In his speech, he denounced amongst other “fallacies and falsehoods”, “the fiction that unpaid care work is not work”, an issue at the heart of MMM’s advocacy for over 70 years.

“COVID-19 has been likened to an x-ray, revealing fractures in the fragile skeleton of the societies we have built. It is exposing fallacies and falsehoods everywhere: The lie that free markets can deliver healthcare for all; the fiction that unpaid care work is not work; the delusion that we live in a post-racist world; the myth that we are all in the same boat. Because while we are all floating on the same sea, it’s clear that some are in super-yachts while others are clinging to drifting debris…. Inequality defines our time.”

He emphasized that COVID-19 is a human tragedy. But it has also created a generational opportunity. An opportunity to build back a more equal and sustainable world. Quoting Nelson Mandela he refers to Education as “the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”.

By recognizing the dual importance of Care and Education, his words fuel the engine of our mission: to seek support and recognition for mothers as change makers for a better world.

It is with gratitude we receive his call to action as a powerful encouragement for our ongoing work.

Read the full lecture here

 

Most read articles

Mothers, unpaid care work and global crises – connecting the dots

02.07.24

UN New York / HLPF - Register now to join us online at this year’s High Level Political Forum side-event.

Lire plus

Widowed mothers: MMM calls for addressing the distinct challenges they face

20.06.24

UN Geneva, Human Rights Council - MMM was invited to contribute to a side-event organised by Widows Rights International to discuss the unique challenges faced by widows who are mothers,

Lire plus

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

Lire plus
See all the articlesof the category

Latest News from MMM and its Network

Ensuring Work-Life Balance: The EU’s Commitment to Supporting Parents, notably mothers, and Gender Equality

19.03.25

At the latest EPSCO Council (Employment, Social Policy, Health, and Consumer Affairs), the Council of the European Union adopted groundbreaking Conclusions aimed at addressing work-life balance and promoting ge

Read more

Breaking the Cycle: Gender Equality as a Path to Better Mental Health

18.03.25

The Council of the European Union has taken a decisive step in recognising the vital connection between gender equality and mental health.

Read more

Championing Mothers’ Rights at the UN Human Rights Council

18.03.25

UN Geneva - The 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council (HRC58) provided a crucial platform for advocacy, engagement, and collaboration on pressing human rights issues. MMM representatives made significant

Read more

The voice of Mothers: Uncovering the Truth Behind the Numbers

12.03.25

On 11 March, MMM unveiled its State of Motherhood in Europe 2024 Survey in an interactive webinar. Three expert panelists and an engaged audience commented its most striking results presented by Angela Garcia,

Read more

Motherhood: The Unfinished Business of Beijing

09.03.25

UN New York - The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (1995) is a landmark global policy document focused on advancing gender equality and women's rights, and is considered one of the most comprehensive

Read more

Supporting Mothers with Disabilities: A Call for Enhanced Care and Resources

06.03.25

Mothers with disabilities face many challenges in a world that is physically, socially and structurally inaccessible. Their struggles often go unnoticed and underappreciated which results in vast misconceptions

Read more