Social policy on child care in Mexico: analysis of the abstract dimension from a gender and rights approach.

Abstract

Every social policy stems from a welfare regime adopted by the State, in which care is integrated as a fundamental part. In Mexico, although there are public care services, a large part of these are still covered by unpaid work that is organized mainly within the family. Another important aspect is that these services are usually framed within the participation of women in the labor market as part of their social benefits. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to analyze child care policies in Mexico from a gender and rights perspective, in order to account for the abstract dimension that underlies the welfare regime on which care is based in Mexico through a qualitative documentary research, where Mexican government platforms, journalistic notes and research articles that account for the characteristics of child care programs in Mexico were reviewed. It was found that the abstract dimension of the social policy of child care in Mexico places care as a female responsibility and situates the family as the institution responsible for its provision, reinforcing traditional gender models. In addition, it is evident that care is not seen as a matter of rights, but rather as a support provided to the labor-active sectors.