20
May
2026
Watch
Advancing towards a care society: addressing the gender care gap (debate)
Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, Daniela is an employee, she worked eight hours a day. Now she had to ask for a part‑time to take care of her children and her sick father. He now works 18 hours a day, of which more than ten are unpaid. Maria, on the other hand, is a migrant woman, works 24 hours a day, earns 950 euros a month, has a day off, lives in the workplace, is always available, can not get sick, can not get away and can not complain, because otherwise she loses her residence permit. This is a daily reality, do you know where? In Europe, in our Europe of rights, where we allow wild exploitation. Families are left alone, public services are insufficient, waiting lists lengthen, and women too often remain solely responsible for care work. And so they are exploited, they lose their jobs, they cannot carry on their passions or participate in public life. It is a silent and constant discrimination. That is why we ask for an Care Deal European. We immediately want more public investment, more accessible services, decent rights and wages for care workers.