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Federación Internacional para la Orientación Familiar - International Federation for Family Development

FIOF - IFFD

The International Federation for Family Development (IFFD) was founded in Orlando (Florida) as a union of non-denominational, non-profit, independent and private Family Enrichment Centers.

Lobbying Activity

Response to European Child Guarantee

7 Oct 2020

Investing in family-friendly policies is good for children, good for women, good for business and good for the economy. Good for Children Investing in Early Childhood Development is one of the most effective ways to improve children’s skills, abilities and, ultimately, productivity. Despite the evidence and recognition of the effectiveness of investing in young children, approximately 250 million children under 5 years of age in low and middle-income countries are at risk of not achieving their potential due to poverty, poor health and nutrition, and lack of early stimulation. While parents want to do the best by their children, many have no option but to work long hours in the formal and informal sectors, simply to make ends meet. With long hours spent working, many parents are not at home, or miss significant periods of time, in the first critical years of their babies’ lives, evidence tells us, when the combination of the right nourishment, a loving environment and stimulating care can strengthen a baby’s developing brain. In fact, only 43 countries in the world have national policies that provide parents and caregivers with the time (6 months of paid maternity and 4 weeks of paid paternity) to care for their children. Also, implementation continues to be a challenge in the 134 countries that have policies that do allow time with young children (6 months of paid breastfeeding breaks). Only 20 of OECD countries have explicit national family-friendly policies and have fully-fledged (non-contributory and non-means-tested) universal child/family benefits with some subsidized childcare, birth grants and maternity/paternity leave. Good for Women Access to affordable childcare and family-friendly policies is an enabler of women's economic participation. It can enable women to maintain their participation in paid employment and critical to take advantage of key social protection initiatives, such as public works programmes, on an equal basis with men, thereby contributing financially to their families, economies and businesses. Also, access to gender-responsive quality childcare and family-friendly policies are key to reduce gender imbalances and to promote greater co-responsibility between women and men in the earliest years of their babies’ lives. In many countries, private companies are beginning to see the value of offering family-friendly policies, which increase employee retention, career positioning and advancement of working parents, especially mothers; boost employee engagement and morale; make companies more competitive and attract talent; while improving brand image and taking companies closer to global sustainability standards. Gender-neutral parental policies also help to alleviate the so-called "mommy tax" and increase the likelihood of women returning to work after maternity leave. These policies are also beneficial to stimulate economic growth and GDP. For example, the family-friendly policies introduced by Nordic countries 50 years ago have boosted growth in GDP per capita by between 10% and 20% (OECD). Well-designed investments in early childhood education and care services can have major economic and social pay-offs for families, individuals and societies at large by: facilitating women’s labour force participation; enhancing children’s capabilities; and creating decent jobs in the paid care sector. Recommendations: - Sufficient paid leave to all parents and guardians (formal and informal economies) to meet the needs of their young children. Including paid maternity, paternity, and parental leave, and leave to care for sick young children. - Supporting the ability of mothers to breastfeed exclusively for 6 months, as recommended by global endorsed standards, and to continue breastfeeding for as long as they choose. - Ensuring that all children have access to affordable, quality childcare and early education. - Providing child benefits and adequate wages to help families provide for young children.
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