Mexico.- Mexico City’s Head of Government, Clara Brugada, presented this Monday a bill to establish a public care system, making the country’s capital a pioneer in implementing it, within the framework of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Brugada detailed that the proposal contemplates both reforms to the Constitution of Mexico City, as well as a bill for the public care system.
“Con esta propuesta, nos proponemos ser la primera ciudad de América Latina en consagrar el cuidado como un derecho humano en nuestra Constitución local, asumiendo así un compromiso que trasciende administraciones y coyunturas”,
destacó.
It was also indicated that Article 9 of the local Constitution will include “the right to care“.
“Proponemos que inicie así este artículo: El cuidar, ser cuidado y el autocuidado, se reconoce como derecho humano, tutelado por esta Constitución. Es universal, ineludible, interdependiente, indivisible e indispensable para la sostenibilidad de la vida y la sociedad”,
explicó.
On the other hand, he explained that the bill for the Public Care System “contemplates setting in motion” this system through several components, among which he highlighted “providing care services” and “attending to, caring for, and fostering the development of children, from six months to six years old”.
In addition, it proposes the free offer of services such as ‘Day Homes’, public spaces for older adults, as well as Rehabilitation Centers for people with disabilities, popular laundries and community kitchens.
Brugada added that the law contemplates coordination with the 16 municipalities of Mexico City, so that each one builds its own Public Care System.
The goal is to achieve “the greatest coverage” of the system in the next 30 years, said the Head of Government.
“The initiative speaks of the fact that each year, the Public Care System must have sufficient and necessary budget for the maintenance, expansion and improvement of the Care System, and that this budget each year, cannot be less than that of the previous year,” Brugada indicated.
Women and girls spend three to four times more hours on unpaid care work compared to men, according to UN Women figures.
The bill was presented at the Mexico City Museum, on the eve of the XVI Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean, which this year is being held in Mexico, from August 12 to 15, under the slogan “Towards a care society”.
