"The Motherhood Manifesto" @ the Nation

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http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060522/blades

"...The "maternal wall" is a reality we must address if we value both fair treatment in the workplace and the contributions working mothers make to our economy....

The good news is that more enlightened policies would provide practical benefits to the whole society. But we need a genuine motherhood revolution to achieve this sort of change. We believe the following Motherhood Manifesto points are a good place to start:

§?M = Maternity/Paternity Leave: Paid family leave for all parents after a new child comes into the family.

§?O = Open, Flexible Work: Give parents the ability to structure their work hours and careers in a way that allows them to meet both business and family needs. This includes flexible work hours and locations, part-time work options and the ability to move in and out of the labor force without penalties to raise young children.

§?T = TV We Choose & Other After-School Programs: Offer safe, educational opportunities for children after school doors close, including a clear and independent universal television rating system for parents along with technology that allows them to choose what is showing in their own homes; quality educational programming for kids; expanded after-school programs.

§?H = Healthcare for All Kids: Provide quality, universal healthcare to all children.


§?E = Excellent Childcare: Quality, affordable childcare should be available to all parents. Childcare providers should be paid at least a living wage and healthcare benefits.

§?R = Realistic and Fair Wages: Two full-time working parents should be able to earn enough to care for their family. And working mothers must receive equal pay for equal work.


by Joan Blades & Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner


Joan Blades is a co-founder of http://MomsRising.org and http://MoveOn.org. She is the author of Mediate Your Divorce (Prentice Hall).

Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner writes about public policy, health and women's issues. She is the co-founder of http://MomsRising.org and author of the award-winning book The F-Word: Feminism in Jeopardy (Avalon).

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