Resolution of "Compatibility of work and family life with special focus on the well-being of the child"
The Federation of Catholic Family Associations in Europe (FAFCE) welcomes the communication of the European Commission COM (2003) 843 regarding the revision of Directive 93/104/EC covering certain aspects of the working time schedule and has become involved in the consultation proceedings by way of a contribution.
The European Commission states in the above communication that the compatibility of the professional life with that of the family is a substantial element for achieving the goals that had been specified in the Lisbon strategy of the Union. This is not only a contribution to the development of a satisfactory working climate, but enhances also a better adaptation to the needs of the employees and the employers.
FAFCE shares principally this point of view. However, FAFCE wishes to highlight in this context that the compatibility of work and family life should not be viewed from the position of the economy only. Furthermore early parental childcare represents a social value which has to be rewarded.
A special focus concerning the problems of this compatibility should be placed upon the well-being of the child. Actually, FAFCE considers the substantial aim of all political measures improving the compatibility between the work for the family and a paid job to consist in ensuring the welfare of the child, which includes its balanced development and the benefit of elementary education.
The welfare of a child can be guaranteed to the extent in which the child is provided with living-space enhancing the development of its physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, religious, personal, social and practical talents, skills and relationships offering the growths of capacities allowing to implement its own living concept within its environment. The well being of a child, accordingly, depends upon the following fields: emotional life, social environment, intellect, and body.
For the purpose of a positive development of all four above mentioned
fields, FAFCE considers as indispensable that caring for the child should
be ensured in a balanced way both by Father and Mother. In this connection
FAFCE admonishes that article 18 of the UNO Convention of Children's Rights
should be observed, wherein the signatory states agree to apply their
best efforts for ensuring the acknowledgement of the principle that both
parents are responsible for the upbringing and development of
the child. The balance should result from the possibilities and the discussion
among the parents and not from external pressure. In order to strengthen
the competence of fathers FAFCE claims the possibility of paternal leave
for all member states.
This, however, results in the necessity within a family for women and men to opt, in their design of life, between the family work and employment on equal basis, while the care in the family shall not be economically underprivileged. A real compatibility of the work in the family and paid job shall open the option of using subsidiary support of the communities in form of children care services and facilities, or to acknowledge the desire to care for the children within the families. FAFCE points to the fact that the signatory states of the UNO convention of Children's Rights agree to take all suitable measures for ensuring that children of employed parents can enjoy the right to use the available services and facilities of children care.
FAFCE requests the political decision makers, in agreement with the economy,
to ensure that each family can find condition enabling it to implement
a model of life wherein also the well being of the child of employed parents
can be granted.