Towards women's full occupational freedom

On April 19, our platform co-sponsored a side event during the 54th session of the Committee for Development Policy. Our general coordinator, Leonor Tamayo, spoke at the event.

The theme of the event is of crucial importance to our platform:

Towards women's full occupational freedom

An event in which the social situation of exclusive dedication to the family was analyzed and a wide variety of social and political proposals were put on the table, as well as the good practices developed in some countries.

Leonor Tamayo's presentation focused on the social situation of dedication to the family and how it is presented to society as a whole through official bodies.

Our coordinator explained that dedication to the family is presented as "automatic management", as if it did not matter who does it, and as a brake and obstacle to women's professional development. Specifically, in the 2030 Agenda we can highlight these points:

1.- professional life is considered the only way for women to develop.

There is no mention of the value of raising and educating children for women, nor of the consequences for their proper growth.

3.- The social value of motherhood is not considered.

4.- The professionalization of care is shown as the only way out.

5.- "Co-responsibility" is shown as a struggle between the sexes; domestic care is seen as an unfair burden that falls only on women. No reference is made to the importance of the father's role in the family.

By presenting it as a burden, caregiving produces rejection and that is why young people do not want to have children or "family responsibilities".

Our coordinator further exposed that, although it is widely known that home care represents about 30% of GDP, it has been excluded from the System of National Accounts and, therefore, work in the home is considered as "unproductive" and parents with exclusive dedication to the family are considered "unemployed" for economic, legal, political and socioeconomic purposes.

He also emphasized the need to make proposals and continue fighting for family policies. But we have to be aware of what we have on our hands and focus our actions in the right direction. "The enemies of the family today have their road map, their language and their timetable. And we cannot ignore it".

You can watch the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BbrYJLLQCI  Leonor Tamayo's speech, from minute 18 onwards.