Investment Details:
- Funds will be allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of care spaces.
- The project includes 200 centers for childcare, infant rooms, daycare facilities for the elderly, rehabilitation spaces, and laundries.
- Special focus on early childhood education, catering to a population of 273,000 children aged 0-3 in the capital.
Background on Clara Brugada Molina:
Clara Brugada Molina, the Head of Government for Mexico City, announced this investment on the International Day of Caregiving. As a prominent figure in Mexican politics, her decisions significantly impact the city’s infrastructure and services. This particular initiative addresses a critical need for care facilities, ensuring accessibility and quality for residents.
The Public Care System Project
Under this initiative, the following components will be developed:
- 300 childcare centers and 300 infant rooms
- 200 daycare facilities for the elderly and 200 rehabilitation spaces for individuals with disabilities
- 200 houses of health and prevention of care, along with 200 community kitchens and free laundries
- 16 long-term care homes for the elderly
- Houses of Las Siemprevivas offering legal, psychological advice and services against violence, along with relaxation therapy spaces
Financial Breakdown:
Brugada Molina detailed the financial allocation as follows:
- $3.6 billion for new infrastructure construction
- $6.2 billion for maintenance, equipment, and operation
- $1 billion for direct support to caregivers
- $900 million for the construction, maintenance, and operation of 16 long-term care homes for the elderly
- $100 million for care cooperatives
Importance of Early Childhood Education
Brugada Molina emphasized the significance of integrating early childhood education, similar to basic education which includes preschool, primary, and secondary schools. She highlighted the need to prevent inequality from starting early in life.
Currently, there are 273,000 children aged 0-3 in Mexico City, with 80% lacking access to care services. The new Sistema de Educación Inicial aims to address this gap, targeting 66,000 children (30% coverage) by 2030 through 300 new childcare centers, with 200 managed by the capital’s government and 100 through cooperatives.
Support for Caregivers
The program “Ciudad que Cuida a Quienes Cuidan” aims to support individuals who care for those unable to care for themselves, acknowledging the critical role these caregivers play. In Mexico City, approximately 90,000 people dedicate over 48 hours weekly to such activities, with 84% being women.
This investment will create foundations to reduce caregiving time, primarily for women, and work towards eliminating the gendered division of labor in the city.
Addressing Caregiving Challenges
Brugada Molina pointed out that unpaid care work constitutes 26% of the national GDP, with 90% of those working over 40 hours per week being women. Moreover, 57% of the city’s population struggles with leisure time scarcity, affecting health, nutrition, and overall well-being.
The current administration has proposed two initiatives to the Congress of Mexico City:
- A constitutional reform to Article 9, aiming to eradicate the gendered division of labor
- The Cuidados Law, emphasizing universal, accessible, quality, and progressive care services as a shared responsibility among the state, families, community, and private sector
