Introduction to the National Care System Initiative
The establishment of the National Care System is not merely about infrastructure and services; it demands a profound cultural transformation, according to Adriana Oseguera Gamba and Gracia Alfonsina Morales Alzaga during a panel discussion at the National Security Social Week.
Adriana Oseguera Gamba’s Perspective
Adriana Oseguera Gamba, Director for the National and Progressive Care System at the DIF National, emphasized that legal reforms and service provisions alone are insufficient without parallel cultural transformation acknowledging the importance of care and encouraging collective participation.
- Gender stereotypes: Prevailing gender stereotypes contribute to the current societal organization of care, which is inequitable and perpetuates existing disparities.
- Unequal distribution: These stereotypes lead to the majority of care tasks falling on women, both at home and in the workforce.
Oseguera Gamba outlined that the cultural transformation aims to redistribute care responsibilities more equitably. This strategy includes regulatory measures and a robust cultural change approach.
Gracia Alfonsina Morales Alzaga’s Perspective
Gracia Alfonsina Morales Alzaga, Director of Care Policies at the Women’s Secretariat, detailed the subsequent steps in constructing the National Care System:
- Intersectoral table installation: This will involve unions, civil society organizations, and collectives.
- Intergovernmental coordination: Collaboration should extend beyond institutions to include various societal actors, with a federal message transmitted to other government levels and local entities.
Morales Alzaga clarified that the ultimate goal is to create a common reference framework for moving towards a care-oriented society, not merely establishing conditions, services, infrastructure, and coordination.
Addressing Cultural Change
To foster cultural change, the strategy encompasses:
- Public agenda placement: Placing care discussions on the public agenda and creating dialogue spaces to highlight its significance.
- Educational efforts: Changing the perception that care is women’s inherent duty, promoting models like “learning to care” and campaigns such as “men caring” to encourage active paternity and male responsibility in care, including elderly care.
- Curriculum integration: Incorporating images and examples of parents caring for and being cared for by their elders in school plans and textbooks, moving beyond gender-specific portrayals.
The significance of caregivers’ roles, including gerontological caregivers, should be recognized as crucial societal maintenance tasks. The aim is for individuals, including children and teens, to aspire to professional caregiving roles due to the importance of this labor.
Societal Interdependence and Care
Care is integral throughout people’s lives, not just individually but also as societal interdependence. The focus extends beyond historically vulnerable populations (people with disabilities, older adults, children, and teens, and women who predominantly care) to acknowledging everyday care actions and societal interdependence.
