On the eve of June 1, the International Children’s Day, the International Labor Organization urges the Moldovan authorities to ratify Convention No. 156 on Workers with Family Responsibilities, which would be an essential step to protect the rights of parents and ensure a fairer future for children, IPN reports.
The convention recognizes the difficulties parents or carers, especially women, face in trying to reconcile work and family responsibilities. According to the organization, the adoption of this act would bring national legislation closer to current social realities and international standards in this area.
“We cannot talk about equal opportunities for children without giving real opportunities to their parents. Convention 156 is an essential tool for balancing work and family life,” said Diana Cebotaru, project coordinator at the International Labour Organization in Moldova. She emphasized that Moldova has all the prerequisites to become an example in the region.
The organization’s recent analysis shows that more than 131 million women in Moldova are not economically active due to caring for family members, compared to about 6000 men. Also, the employment rate of women with young children is almost 30 percentage points lower than for those without children, and access to early education for children under one year old is almost non-existent.
Although Moldova has ratified the ten fundamental conventions of the International Labor Organization, Convention 156 is missing from the legal framework. The organization recommends not only the ratification of this document, but also the introduction in the Labour Code of a clear definition for workers with family responsibilities, as well as the expansion of early care services and support for informal carers.
The ILO also emphasizes the importance of fathers’ involvement in raising children and combating gender stereotypes that place the entire burden of childcare on women. In the experts’ view, these changes would contribute to a more equitable society where both parents and children have real opportunities for development. The ratification of Convention 156 would thus represent a concrete commitment by the Republic of Moldova to support families and strengthen equal opportunities.
International Labor Organization Convention 156, adopted in 1981 and ratified by 47 countries to date, aims to eliminate discrimination against workers with family responsibilities. The document promotes equal access to work, protection against dismissal on this basis, and measures such as flexible work schedules and accessible care services. According to the ILO’s Committee of Experts, “reconciliation of work and family life is essential for gender equality and decent work”. The Convention recognizes the social and economic changes of recent decades, such as women’s increased involvement in the labour market and the increased need for care for family members, and advocates a more equitable and inclusive work environment.