On the 29th of October over 10,000 mummies will be marching across the UK to demand an urgent intervention from the Government for the shocking treatment of mothers and families. The protest, which is led by Pregnant Then Screwed, will march across 11 regions bringing mums together for this united call to arms for urgent government reforms.
The ‘March of The Mummies’ protest is Halloween-themed to demonstrate the frightening lack of consideration mothers have been granted by the
Government. The demonstration will march across: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds, Cardiff, Glasgow, Newcastle, Norwich, Belfast and Exeter.
Celebrities joining the march include; Author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and actors, Bronagh Waugh, and Sarah Solemani. MP’s will also be attending the march, including Stella Creasy and Munira Wilson.
Joeli Brearley, Founder and CEO of Pregnant Then Screwed, comments, “Mothers from all over the UK have come together today because enough is enough. We want urgent progress on women’s rights. It’s the 21st Century, yet 54,000 mothers are being pushed out of the workforce every year for simply daring to procreate. We have the second most expensive childcare in the OECD, the third worst ranking maternity benefit and the worst ranking paternity benefit in Europe. Data from the ONS shows that women of childbearing age are dropping like flies from the workforce. The childcare sector is in a mess; thousands of nurseries have collapsed this year alone. We have had enough.”
The national protest is demanding reform on three key issues that are pushing mothers out of the workforce and into poverty:
Increased funding for the childcare sector to enable affordable, high quality childcare for all children
Ring-fenced and properly paid maternity and paternity leave
All jobs to be flexible by default
Recent Pregnant Then Screwed data has revealed the harsh reality that mother’s are currently facing: extortionate childcare costs, pitiful financial support for new mothers and fathers, and a lack of good quality part time and flexible work. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 31% of new parents will not be able to afford to have any more children, and 48% of pregnant mothers will have to cut their maternity leave short due to financial hardship. Shockingly, 60.5% of mothers who had an abortion in the last 5 years stated that childcare costs were a factor in their decision to terminate a wanted pregnancy, and 22 women said they had turned to sex work this year to be able to pay their childcare bill. 43% of mothers are considering leaving their job as a direct result of childcare costs.
Joeli Brearley, CEO and Founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, continues,
‘’We’ve got women terminating pregnancies, thousands more deciding not to have children, or not to have more children. Women falling out of the workforce in droves; and children being pushed into poverty – What for? All because of an unaffordable, inaccessible, dysfunctional childcare sector that has been neglected for the past decade by this Government; a number of broken promises about making flexible working the default; and a parental leave system that simply isn’t working. Inaction by this Government on these core issues ultimately makes us all poorer; if parents are unable to financially contribute to the economy then we miss out on skills and income, whilst dishing out benefits to keep families from destitution. It makes no sense. If you want us to work so that we can financially contribute to both our family and the economy, then give us the social infrastructure to be able to do just that’’
She continues: ‘’ The recent mini budget made it very clear that this Government neither understands nore cares about the challenges mothers are experiencing. The proposed policy of slashing benefits for those who work part time will disproportionately impact mothers who work part time as they cannot afford childcare and because they do the majority of the unpaid labour. 80% of those who benefit from the 45% tax rate cut are men. Women’s economic empowerment hinges on a system that works for us, and the government needs to start taking this, us, seriously. We are calling for an end to the shambolic support system that is failing mothers and families everywhere. We want to see change now.”
To sign up for your local march please head here.
*Press Release from Pregnant Then Screwed
