AIM

The "MOMarCEt" project  aims to empower mothers(especially the disadvantaged eg. single, facing socioeconomic challenges, migrant) learning about circular economy

(especially around baby/child care industry) and generating innovative ideas and enterprises protecting the environment and

promoting gender equality in entrepreneurship. MOMarCEt aims to promote a more sustainable model of circular economy which involves sharing, leasing, reusing,

repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing baby related materials and products as long as possible. With partners from Bulgaria and Greece, the “MOMarCEt” project aims to play a vital part in helping mothers re-entering in the workplace, promoting gender equality in entrepreneurship as well as the protection of the environment and fight for climate change.Through research, shord videos and podcasts and advocacy campaign, the project fosters a perspective that focuses on women empowerment and mothers re-entrance in the

workplace or entrepreneurship, promoting equal opportunities and inclusion, the development of skills of mothers for the new digital era, a circular economy approach in child/baby industry and the development of start-ups focusing on green practices.  

IDEA BEHIND THE PROJECT

The MOMarCEt project emphasizes in empowering mothers to learn about circular economy and generating innovative ideas and enterprises protecting the environment. More specifically, according to the European Parliament the EU produces more than 2.1 billion tonnes of waste every year. The baby/child care industry is playing a crucial role to the production of waste (eg. single-use disposable diapers and wipes, clothes, toys,

products for breast-feading or food packaging, furniture etc). The baby/child care industry has harmful results to the environment: i) around 33 billion single-use baby nappies were consumed, resulting in 6,731,000 tonnes of waste per year, ii) around 68 billion individual wet wipes were consumed, which equates to 511,000 tonnes of waste per year (The environmental & economic costs of single-use menstrual products, baby nappies & wet wipes, 2019), iii) The production of disposable nappies also requires over 1.3 million tons of wood pulp,75,000 tons of plastic, and 20,000 tons of petroleum-based materials annually. iv) the global toy market produces over 100 million tons of plastic waste every year, much of which ends up in landfills and oceans (playitgreen.com, 2020) v) the production of plastic toys and other baby products contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. vi) the transportation of baby products also contributes to environmental impacts. These numbers indicate the importance of both making consumers aware of the results of their choices on the environment with a view to change their attitude and help them make more conscious and sustainable choices as well as the significant role of transforming this industry through a circular economy to a more sustainable one.The production and transportation of all these products also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution. This has consequently effects on climate change. Τhe goal of women's empowerment is related to the fact that women are, in most countries, the basic carers of babies/children thus they are the main consumers of baby/child care industry products.

Moreover, the project recognizes the importance of promoting gender equality in entrepreneurship. While women are, in most countries, the basic carers of babies/children, they are also the main group that is affected by the babies/child care during their career path. According to Make mothers matter study, 17% of women leave their job when they become mothers and a bigger percentage reduce their working hours from full time jobs to part time. According to Eurostat, 2/5 households with children under 3 years old have only one working, 1/5 have both parents working but one of them only part time and 7% of them have no working family member. The study reveals also that it is usually the mother who quits working or reduces her working full time employment to part time. Furthermore, a study of Make mothers matter (2020), underlines that fewer than 1/5 of mothers return to full-time work in the first three years after maternity leave. The European Commission reports that only 30% of entrepreneurs and 32% of economic leaders in the EU are women. EIT

underlines that only 18.4% of start-up founders are women. Additionally self-employed women experience severe gender gaps and may earn 30% to 40% less than men. The MOMarCEt project aims to address these urgent challenges and propose an innovative methodology for empowering green & entrepreneurial skills of mothers towards a more sustainable circular baby/child care industry adjusted to their needs.

TARGET GROUPS

  • MOTHERS OR FUTURE MOTHERS EMPOWERMENT
  • ADULT EDUCATORS TRAINING
  • INFLUENCERSPROMOTING
  • MEMBERS OF FAMILIES AWARENESS
  • LOCAL ORGANISATIONS SUPPORTING
  • EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ENGAGEMENT
  • LOCAL SHOPS AWARENESS

OBJECTIVES

Upskilling or/and reskilling mothers empowering their green and entrepreneurial skills. The project will create a pathway for mothers to learn about the circular economy and stimulate their entrepreneurial mindset with ideas that can

contribute to the sustainability of the baby/child industry. It also promotes gender equality in entrepreneurship.

Promoting protection of environment, redesign of a sustainable baby/child industry and fighting against climate change.Through MOMarCEt mothers will develop competences in various green sectors related to the baby/child care industry with the scope to i) contribute to circular economy and sustainability through their everyday choices ii)empower other consumers to adopt more sustainable practices & products.

Raising awareness and improving the skills of mothers (or future mothers), adult educators in the circular economy and innovative green entrepreneurship.

We will emphasize the empowerment of educators and influencers to continue sharing the results and knowledge gained throughout our project.

Raising awareness about the value and importance of the circular economy, environmental protection and gender equality in entrepreneurship.

Empowering and educating mothers or future mothers through a series of podcasts and short videos

RESULTS

A desk research on the fields of the project regarding circular economy in baby/child industry, empowerment of mothers in entrepreneurship and re-entrance in workplace

An E-course that will contribute to he improvement of skills of adult educators and relevant professionals. The E-course aims to improve their skills in order to empower them to educate our main target group which is mothers or future mothers and create a multiplying impact of the project results

Discussions, consultations and national and transnational Online Webinars for mothers or/and future mothers, adult educators and relevant professionals through a digital Community of practice to co-create solutions.

A community of practice of mothers (and future mothers) that will function as a safe space for them, to share their challenges, exchange experiences and good practices and co-create solutions and enterprises. Community will also act as a multiplicator of the impact of the project and as a continuation of it after the end of its eligibility.

A podcast and short videos series in each country that will get mother or/and future mothers aware about the environmental impact of child/baby industry, the importance of making informed desicions, theimportance of up-skilling and/or reskilling and aquaring digital  and green skills, as well as pathways to re-enter the work or creating their own entreprises. These activities will empower them to change attitudes towards gender stereotypes and environmental impact of child/baby industry.