Yesterday we celebrated the International Family Day 2009 and this year the motto that was chosen is: "Mothers and families: challenges of a changing world".
For this reason the message of the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki -moon. And as necessary he has made a universal appeal for the protection of mothers, as guarantors of the safety and health of their children.
I liked that one of the things that you have underlined is the important role of the mother in the healthy development of children, which, in my opinion, our industrial society is undermining for greater productivity. Mothers and children need to be together and develop with time and protection that emotional relationship that is the basis on which children experience the importance of love and empathy.
"Mothers have a decisive role in families, which are a potent source of social cohesion and integration. The mother-child relationship is essential for the healthy development of children. Mothers, moreover, are not only a source of care: also they contribute to the sustenance of their families. However, motherhood continues to cause serious problems for women and even danger to their lives. "
One of the fundamental issues is the need to implement health systems that guarantee a safe birth for all mothers, including those from countries with fewer resources. Unfortunately, although in developed countries there are movements that claim that the medicalization of birth does not interfere with its natural development, there are millions of mothers for whom childbirth ends in death due to the impossibility of accessing minimal medical care.
And it is that one thing is not at odds with the other. The deliveries Natural or home births are safe if there is adequate care, but they are not where the woman receives no follow-up and where the health conditions are deplorable. For all it is necessary to be able to access medical care during pregnancy and to have services available in case of need or emergency.
The birth of a child, which has to be a cause of rejoicing, is a serious health risk for too many women in developing countries. Improving the health of mothers is the Millennium Development Goal for which the lowest degree of progress has been recorded. A woman who lives in one of the least developed countries is 300 times more likely to die giving birth or because of complications resulting from pregnancy than a woman who lives in one of the developed countries. We must reduce the dangers of pregnancy and childbirth by preparing health systems to provide family planning services, professional assistance during childbirth and emergency obstetric care.
The violence suffering mostly women and mothers or the access to education, which in many countries is impossible for us, is another cause of this indispensable need that yesterday wants to make patent.
Acts of violence against women, many of which are mothers, continue to be among the most frequent human rights violations. They have far-reaching consequences, because they endanger the lives of women and girls, cause damage to their families and communities and corrode the very structure of society. Ending violence against women and preventing it must be a key priority for all countries. We must also ensure universal access to education. The education of women and girls has benefits not only for each family but also for the countries as a whole, because it mobilizes the contribution that women can make to the overall development effort. Statistics also show that mothers who have received education are much more likely to ensure their children's attendance at school, which means that the benefits of education transcend generations.
According to the conciliation, and this point is one of those that I partially disagree with in its presentation, it is not a priority solution with the creation of nurseries, which, although necessary, cannot be the ideal solution. Productivity is not everything. Investing that mothers can spend more time with their children if it is their desire is a possibility that they ignore in the message, and that, in my opinion, is the right way to make children and mothers happier: that the Freedom is not limited to the possibility of producing more.
To support mothers in their mission of caring for their families, we have to develop and expand family assistance policies and services, such as childcare centers, that alleviate part of the workload of women. Both women and men need more effective public support to share work and family responsibilities equally. Families constituted on the basis of recognition of equality between women and men will help create more stable and productive societies. In this changing world we have many challenges to face, but there is one factor that remains constant: the permanent transcendence of mothers and their invaluable contribution to the formation of the next generation. Recognizing their efforts and improving their living conditions, we can create a better future for all.
In any case, and nuances apart, "Mothers and families: challenges of a changing world" motto of International Family Day 2009It seems to me a success that should help us reflect on the importance of motherhood in the creation of better societies.
