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<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://makemothersmatter.org/international-day-of-peace-2018-parents-have-a-key-role-to-play-for-world-peace/">https://makemothersmatter.org/international-day-of-peace-2018-parents-have-a-key-role-to-play-for-world-peace/</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-top:11.25pt;text-align:center;background:white">
<span lang="FR" style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans Condensed";color:#CE0A38;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:2.25pt">21 September 2018 International Day of Peace – Parents have a key role to play for world Peace!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">Mothers are at the heart of a culture of peace. Together with fathers, they are the primary caregivers
and educators of children, and they can contribute to the prevention of conflicts and sustainable peace – if only they are recognized as such, and adequately educated, informed and supported.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="background:white"><b><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><img border="0" width="451" height="300" id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01D4526D.82786C30" alt="https://makemothersmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/worldpeaceday2018l.jpg"></span></b><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">Make Mothers Matter, together with CARE International Morocco, organised on 3-4 May 2018 in Casablanca
(Morocco) an international conference on the role of mothers for peace – “<a href="https://makemothersmatter.org/conference-internationale-mothers4peace-presentations-et-ressources/"><span style="color:#337AB7;text-decoration:none">#Mothers4Peace</span></a>”.
The conference, which benefited from the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, discussed the role of mothers for peace at the family level, as well as at community, national, and international levels.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">On this International Day of Peace, Make Mothers Matter wishes to share two of the main conclusions of
the conference, which concern every parent, on how recent scientific evidence supports that peace begins in the home and peace education should start at a very early age.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white">
<b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans Condensed";color:#275177;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:2.25pt">1. Nurturing Early Childhood Education and Care is a cornerstone for building a culture of peace</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans Condensed";color:#275177;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:2.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">The
<a href="https://makemothersmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/20180503-Mothers4Peace-Rma-SALAH.pdf">
<span style="color:#337AB7;text-decoration:none">message of Dr. Rima Salah</span></a>, Professor at the Yale Child Study Centre and former Deputy Director-General of UNICEF, is clear and says it all with regards to the need to invest in early childhood development
(ECD) policies:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">“While an individual’s genetic endowment is fundamental, parenting provides a legacy that transcends
our genes. How a child is nurtured and cared for early in life has a direct impact on brain structure and function. This new knowledge holds significant implications for the future of millions of children living in fragile contexts worldwide, as well as on
our thinking about creating a culture of peace and about sustaining peace in the world…
</span></i><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">It further highlights the importance of positive parenting and reinforces the evidence that stimulation,
caregiving, attachment, bonding and creating safe contexts for children, all have a positive influence on their brain development and can help children grow, learn and thrive.”
</span></i><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="mso-margin-top-alt:15.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white">
<b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans Condensed";color:#275177;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:2.25pt">2. Involving fathers in childcare and education through the promotion of positive fatherhood reduces violence in the family
and beyond</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:18.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans Condensed";color:#275177;text-transform:uppercase;letter-spacing:2.25pt"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"><a href="https://makemothersmatter.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/201805-Mothers4Peace-Gary-Barker-Raising-Caring-Men.pdf"><span style="color:#337AB7;text-decoration:none">The
message of Gary Barker</span></a>, President and CEO of Promundo, a global leader in engaging men and boys in promoting gender equality and violence prevention, and Cofounder of the global campaign, MenCare, highlights the need to promote men’s involvement
as equitable, non-violent caregivers. A key entry point is expectant fathers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">“New research demonstrates that engaging men in parent-training initiatives not only reduces multiple
forms of violence, but also increases fathers’ involvement in childcare and expands overall gender equality in participating families.”</span></i><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333"> (<a href="https://sowf.men-care.org/"><span style="color:#337AB7;text-decoration:none">State
of the World’s Fathers</span></a> 2017, p.14)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">For example, a parent training programme in Rwanda with 1,700 expectant fathers resulted in a
<b>50% reduction in violence against women and a 30% reduction against children.</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">On the occasion of the International Day of Peace let’s recognize how mothers with fathers matter for
building a culture of peace, <b>as the primary</b> <b>caregivers and educators of their children.</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<div style="border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Open Sans",sans-serif;color:#333333">Beyond the family, building peace is also our collective responsibility. We all have to be aware that
recognizing and supporting the role of parents is crucial – and act on it. Make Mothers Matter hopes that the evidence will become so clear that it will be a priority for policymakers and for each and every one of us: parents need better recognition as well
as training, information and support.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:7.5pt;background:white"><b><span lang="FR" style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p>
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