Date: 14-07-2021Time: 1:30-3:00 Location: online
The pandemic has shown the critical importance of Care. It also exposed the challenges that women, particularly mothers, face in juggling paid work and unpaid Care responsibilities.
Feminist economists have long denounced the inequitable distribution of unpaid care work as a root cause of gender inequalities. At the heart of the problem is our current economic system, which considers unpaid care work – and nature – as endless and free commodities.
The Covid-19 crisis provides a unique opportunity to repurpose our economy, so that it serves the wellbeing of people and our planet. Bringing about such systemic change begins by changing narratives and perspectives on both unpaid care work and the economy.
Programme & Speakers
Introduction
- Anne-Claire de Liedekerke, President, Make Mothers Matter
- Olivier De Schutter, UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights
Moderator
- Susan Himmelweit, Feminist economist, Emeritus professor of economics for the Open University in the UK, member of the UK Women’s Budget Group Commission for a Gender Equal Economy
Part 1 – Changing the narrative on unpaid family care work in families and workplaces
- Gary Barker, Founder and CEO, Promundo Global – on the importance of sharing the care within families, not only for redistribution, but also as a way to changing the view that men have on the value of this work, and the potential multiplier effect it can have on the wellbeing of every family member, gender equality, and a more caring society
- Sonia Malaspina, Human Resources Director Danone SN Italy – to show how supporting workers with caregiving responsibilities, especially mothers, can, in the long term, be a win-win strategy for private companies and employees alike, and contribute to shifting perspectives on unpaid care work as being interrelated with paid work, as it develops skills which are also of value for a company
Part 2 – Changing the narrative on the economy, to empower mothers and children
- Anam Parvez Butt, Gender Justice Research Lead and Policy Advisor, Oxfam Great Britain – on "Time to care” & reframing care as a ‘social good” to bring about human economies caring for people
- Shahra Razavi, Director, ILO Social Protection Department – on changing the narrative on social protection so that it is considered an investment, not an expense to be minimized, and designed to support unpaid caregiving
There will be simultaneous interpretation in French.
About the High Level Political Forum
The 2021 UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF – 6-15 July), will review progress of member states’ implementation of the 2030 development agenda, with a particular focus on SDG 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16 and 17. Our event relates to this year’s HLPF main theme: ‘Sustainable and resilient recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic that promotes the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development: building an inclusive and effective path for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda in the context of the decade of action and delivery for sustainable development‘.
