March 23 may be overlooked by most societies, but as of 2018, the Government has designated it as the National Day for the Reconciliation of Personal, Family and Work Life and Shared Responsibility in Assuming Family Responsibilities. The aim was to strengthen the reconciliation project to contribute to the achievement of true and effective equality between women and men. It is a long road, and there are people who become invisible when we talk about reconciliation.
Today we know that the greater injustice that women assume -domestic and caring – generates a cost in our economic autonomy, in health, in deliberation, in the enjoyment of our leisure and in the full exercise of the rights of the citizen. . However, it is rarely highlighted that this is something that runs a course throughout our lives, generating the kind of inequities in the work/economic, family and personal environment that do not disappear in middle age and old age, but are affirmed and even. worse
There is a lack of research that goes into this matter in more depth, but the information that we have is compelling and shows that the elderly are a key factor in that reconciliation equation. This is shown in the Research Project “Woman in the labor market”, directed by Maria Luisa Molero, professor at the Rey Juan Carlos University of Madrid (2018-2022), https://sermujerytrabajo.es/ in which UNATE and PEM Foundations participated and had the opportunity to contribute addressing the elderly as the primary agents of reconciliation and support for the generational labor of their homes and their extended families.
On the other hand, even in the households of older couples, the use of time continues to correspond to traditional gender roles, which means that the elderly assume a greater burden of domestic work and care in their homes, which conditions availability. of his own time. On the other hand, at least until the age of 80, they continue to provide more care and family support than they receive, notably in the care of grandchildren and people with some dependency.
This truth allows us to question the age of the student, which shows that the elderly are only receiving care because of their longer life expectancy. In fact, it forces them to contribute to the socio-economic economic and family prosperity, both of their homes and of their extended families, as an important pivot that facilitates the reconciliation of working sons and, above all, daughters. . In men, this supply of care is contracted between the ages of 30 and 50, when they devote themselves mainly to caring for their children. Since the age of 65, men have not contributed to the work of reproduction in the same way as women of the same generation do.
For this reason, we affirm that this ancient contribution, which supports the world of cares, makes the invisible policies of things, so that they do not even recognize public policies as true ministers of promoting equality and reconciliation, since their roles are natural and not in their position. . action focus We also ask that their needs be taken into account, since this dedication translates into less time for leisure activities and for personal autonomy, which has negative consequences on the quality of life. A vicious circle in which it is seen how these tasks are carried out and continuing to be “being-for-others”, ending up taking a toll on the old man’s health when he should focus;
he grows old with meaning and value for himself.
It is time for equality policies to incorporate their own agenda and to incorporate a feminist perspective into the agenda for the elderly, their delay shows the ageism and machismo that continue to permeate our society and public institutions. In fact, on this March 23rd, we dare to affirm that without the visible contribution that the elderly are making, reconciliation is a chimera or a discourse of unexperienced reality.
