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Opinions
About Opinions

Take a look at our Opinion series, with individual voices from inside and outside COFACE, providing different perspectives and insights on topics relevant for families of today.

Opinions
OPINION: Who cares? Achieving effective measures to support informal family carers

OPINION: Who cares? Achieving effective measures to support informal family carers

It could be a good brain-teaser to ask what is the occupation of the tens of millions of people in Europe today, whose daily work time can span over 24 hours and is not only essential but also life-saving. We could not even say that this type of work is underpaid as it is, in many cases, not paid at all. And although it is not necessarily undervalued, it is clear that this essential work is taken for granted. For COFACE Families Europe, who represents the interests of families across Europe, the answer to this brainteaser is evident.

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Feb 24, 2023 | 4 min read

#Toys&DiversityOpinions
a remote-control wheelchair toy
OPINION: How inclusive toys can help to represent and raise awareness of disabilities

OPINION: How inclusive toys can help to represent and raise awareness of disabilities

Around one in 10 children and young people worldwide have a disability, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Children with disabilities are 51% more likely to feel unhappy and 41% more likely to feel discriminated against than children without disabilities. We believe that representing all children through inclusive toys is hugely powerful.

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Dec 5, 2022 | 5 min read

NewsOpinions
OPINION: Struggling to balance life and work? Time policies might be the solution

OPINION: Struggling to balance life and work? Time policies might be the solution

We usually take time for granted, but the way we use our time is shaped by our individual and social circumstances and can lead to inequalities, inefficiencies, and diminished well-being of our society. Public and private initiatives that are put forward in order to address such issues are known as time policies.

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Sep 15, 2022 | 5 min read

NewsOpinions
OPINION: Digital Euro = Digital cash?

OPINION: Digital Euro = Digital cash?

The European Commission’s targeted consultation on a digital euro ended on the 16th of June and while the future of our common currency may seem far remote from the concerns of civil society, the stakes are much higher than one might suspect. COFACE-Families Europe answered the consultation underlining the importance of treating money as a public good, and especially, as a vital instrument for citizens to be able to transact freely.

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Jul 12, 2022 | 5 min read

NewsOpinions
Digital native kids using digital tablet during science project at home
OPINION: It’s time for the digital generation to actively shape the digital era: a call for child participation from an ‘almost’ digital native

OPINION: It’s time for the digital generation to actively shape the digital era: a call for child participation from an ‘almost’ digital native

As adults, we can feel pretty sure that we know what children need and want. The problem is that we are often wrong. In the DigiGen project focusing on the impact of technological transformation on children and young people, we engaged in research with children and families across Europe.

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Jun 7, 2022 | 4 min read

NewsOpinions
Child in supermarket buying fruit and juice.
OPINION – The regulation of food marketing in Europe: From a dogmatic belief in self-regulation to the adoption of an effective regulatory framework?

OPINION – The regulation of food marketing in Europe: From a dogmatic belief in self-regulation to the adoption of an effective regulatory framework?

Legislative reforms must be driven by evidence, not by a dogmatic belief in self-regulation. It is only if the EU adopts legally binding rules protecting all children from exposure to all forms of cross-border unhealthy food marketing that it will ensure that their best interests are upheld as a primary consideration.

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Feb 9, 2022 | 5 min read

NewsOpinions
A picture with kids smiling and playing with a digital tablet
OPINION: It’s our collective responsibility to protect children – and tech has a key role to play

OPINION: It’s our collective responsibility to protect children – and tech has a key role to play

As a parent and child safety expert, I see great value in how the internet can help children grow. Finding relevant information can be transformational but it’s important that this is done in a way that is safe, protects their privacy, and puts minors in control of their data.

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Jan 21, 2022 | 4 min read

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