He Valencian Government has announced new measures to support maternity. They are part of the More Life initiative and aim to provide mothers, from the beginning of pregnancy, all possible economic and social support. Increase the birth rate and guarantee the coverage of the Welfare State to pregnant women, especially those who need it most, consider that it will allow women who decide to have a child to do so with the maximum possibilities allowed by law.
The measures adopted cover economic, fiscal, social, educational and health aspects. The woman will be considered a mother since her pregnancy is confirmed and for that reason families will have rights for that child even before her birth.
Criticisms have been received considering that it is intended to address the Abortion Law, however, the President of the Valencian Community ensures that the only reason is to provide the necessary rights to the mothers so that they can be free and in the best possible conditions.
Being a mother is not easy. And it is less so if the crisis situation makes it more difficult. Therefore, that the authorities provide assistance to families is excellent news, whatever the reasons for the decision taken.
Valencian families can now be considered as such from the moment a medical certificate guarantees that a child is on the way. Let us not forget that in pregnancy we are beginning to consider the needs of the future child and the expenses are already increasing. Now the Valencians will have possibilities such as availing themselves of aid and reductions in their taxes, or simply to be considered preferentially when applying for a place in a school close to home. This last measure seems very correct to me, since for a pregnant woman or with a baby it is essential that the schooling of an older child does not involve long and complicated movements.
Another measure will be the gratuitousness of the medications up to 18 months of the baby if the mother is at risk of social exclusion, if she is a minor or if the child is disabled. This idea also seems excellent. At least those families facing harder economic difficulties may have the drugs that their child needs without this being a reason for added distress. To really think that in our country there are families to whom access to health supposes an almost insurmountable problem due to monetary issues is something that should be taken very seriously throughout society.
I add that these grants are not only for the Spanish. All mothers residing in Valencia, including immigrants regardless of their legal status, who may have greater difficulties, will also have these rights and will be supported and informed by the organizations that have such competencies.
The initiative will be completed with the promotion of social networks of support for motherhood and upbringing, which I think is very important, because they have shown, so far not officially recognized, that they are a huge help to face this stage of life in a happier and more sustained way.
For all the above I believe that all autonomies would have to take as an example the model proposed by the Valencian Government in support of motherhood.
