The Union of Mother Centres, Slovak Republic
Godrova 6
811 06 Bratislava
Slovakia

Tel./fax: +421 2 54417906
e-mail: umc@materskecentra.sk
www.materskecentra.sk

The mission of Mothers Centres´ Union is to reach the appreciation and honour for motherhood in the society and co-create the supportive conditions for motherhood in order to advocate the highest interest of a child.

The mission is fulfilled by implementing various projects through our members MC (nowadays more than 70 Mother Centres within the Slovakia) with the main objectives:

• Spreading of the MC concept – at the local level helping to create friendly environment for mothers and children; at national level by our representatives and joint activities


• Keeping in touch with our members; coordination of joint activities; providing trainings and counselling service for MCs; helping and supporting beginning MCs


• Communication with state, private, NGO, media representatives in Slovakia and in abroad


• Helping in protection of rights and improving situation of all mothers and children at non-discriminated level – by advisory, lobbying, publishing, information and educational activities and events for the public

Subtheme(s):
Safety and Urban Environment
Governance
Local Economy

Key Messages:

The challenge:
anonymity, pollution, social exclusion , inaccessibleness of offices and services in the cities, lack of safe playground or adequate facilities for children, lack of understanding or even harassment of women with children in public – in stores, public transportation, etc.

The answer:
Leading a national campaign “Allow me to enter with my child” to change the public perception to accept special needs of young families.

The activities:

• national competition “Come in with your child”- seeking and awarding the family friendly shops, catering establishments and accommodation which fulfil the given criteria


• self building of playgrounds


• PR activities to involve media and public in this themes ( Pram pushing event)

The challenge:
Reconciling of work and family life, excluding women from the formal economy on local and national levels as well as public decision making, living standard of families with small children, lack of financial resources and support for Mother Centres.

The answer:
To co-create a suitable legislative body and social climate.

The Mother Centres are places where great potential is being cumulated: people who from their everyday reality know what they are talking about. UMC has been invited to comment on proposed laws, and in some of them our comments were included. UMC aspires to be there where laws that affect family conditions are being discussed and to be active co-creators of a pro-family culture in Slovakia.

The activities:

• lobby letters to local governments to support local MC in need


• preparing a project Family Friendly Municipality – we would like to award and motivate the best local governments focused on care of the families and mother centers


• advocacy team to “question- bombarding” by parliament and departments


• the campaign “ How we want to raise our children”


• the study on the impact of Mother Centres on children and mothers

The challenge:
Gender discrimination, unemployed mother after maternity leave, fear of job loss, lack of interest in a mother with small children by employer

The answer:
UMC helps to discover and develop potential of women-mothers and supports they education to keep on their knowledge and abilities during staying home with the children.

The activities:

• project Equal "We perceive the world differently and that is why we achieve more …“ (the Mother Centres establishing the principle of equality of opportunity on the labour market


• the project of accessing to the internet to all MCs in the UMC network


• the educational project ( including trainings in a wide area of knowledge- breastfeeding, couching, media-work, social advisory, fundraising, advocacy…)