Motherhood Transformed: A Hub for Critical Engagement in the Visegrad Countries
The project explores transforming motherhood in post-socialist Visegrad countries as a key democratic and social issue. It connects scholars, activists, journalists, and artists through events and publications to develop new political grammar, support cross-border interdisciplinary networks, and build sustainable infrastructure for knowledge sharing.
The project is co-financed by the governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from the International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.
Financial support: 38,600 EUR
Project’s objective
Since the fall of state socialism in 1989, motherhood in the Visegrad countries has been shaped by shared transitions—privatisation of healthcare, shrinking welfare, and increasing pressure on women to balance work and care. Fertility rates remain below replacement level (HU 1.55, PL 1.2, SK 1.49, CZ 1.46 in 2023), childcare is often inaccessible, and reproductive rights are unevenly protected. Across the region, mothers face unequal access to care and the growing commercialisation of childbirth. Obstetric violence—non-consensual procedures, verbal abuse, and denial of dignity—has become systemic, as noted in a 2024 European Parliament report. Economic precarity disproportionately affects mothers: 20–36% of single parents (mostly women) live at risk of poverty; families with three or more children, rural mothers, elderly women, and Roma women face overlapping disadvantages. These challenges reflect broader trends: the erosion of public services, marginalisation of women’s voices, and a weakening of trust in democratic institutions. Despite shared histories and current struggles, there is no regional platform for those working on motherhood and women’s rights. These issues are often framed in national terms, described as local “cultural specificities,” rather than as part of broader regional or global patterns—limiting opportunities for collective articulation and effective response.
The project addresses the outlined challenges through a twofold approach. First, it focuses on improving knowledge about the political, social, and cultural dimensions of motherhood in the Visegrad region. By bringing together scholars, activists, artists, and journalists, it facilitates interdisciplinary learning through workshops, webinars, and a summer school. These activities will deepen the understanding of current issues—such as obstetric violence, economic precarity, or shrinking reproductive rights—and explore how motherhood intersects with democracy, care, and economy. Second, the project creates space for long-term cooperation across Visegrad countries. It builds a regional hub for dialogue and mutual support, enabling participants to share experiences, co-create narratives, and learn from local examples—such as Hungary’s maternal rights movement. By strengthening ties between diverse actors and institutions, the project lays the groundwork for future initiatives, cross-border networks, and public engagement. In doing so, it reinforces democratic values and social resilience, promoting solidarity and inclusion through regional collaboration rooted in shared experience.
Activities
Summer school, Kőszeg, HU, June 2026
Workshop on care and democracy, Modra, SK, June 2027
Workshop on motherhood and economic implications, Łódź, PL, April 2028
A series of 4 webinars
Newsletter, 6 editions in 4 languages
Partners
Fakulta sociálnych a ekonomických vied Univerzity Komenského v Bratislave / Faculty of Social and Economic Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava (leading partner, Slovakia)
Társadalom és Európa Tanulmányok Intézete Alapítvány / Institute for Social and European Studies Foundation (Hungary)
Česká ženská lobby / The Czech Women’s Lobby (Czechia)
Uniwersytet Łódzki, Wydział Ekonomiczno-Socjologiczny, Instytut Socjologii / University of Lodz, Institute of Sociology (Poland)
Project team
Project coordinator:
Zuzana Maďarová is a political scientist, women’s rights researcher, and experienced organizer of interdisciplinary and public-oriented initiatives bridging academia and activism. Contact: zuzana.madarova@uniba.sk
The project team includes:
Izabella Agárdi (HU), a cultural historian specializing in societal transformation and reproductive rights;
Diana Gregorová (CZ), an activist and women’s rights advocacy worker;
Krystyna Dzwonkowska (PL), a sociologist focused on inequalities between women and men and reproductive justice;
Andrea Pető (HU), an internationally recognized historial and political scientist, brindging knowledge about the past and the present;
Borbála Juhász (HU), a senior expert on women’s rights and activist;
Fanni Svégel (HU), a feminist curator and PhD candidate researching the history of reproductive decision-making;
Mária Mokrá (SK), a PhD researcher examining the transformation of healthcare systems.
The project builds on long-standing cooperation between academia and civil society, including partnerships with Czech Women’s Lobby (CZ), ASPEKT (SK), Łódzki Szlak Kobiet (PL), and Szubkontra (HU)
More info:
Motherhood Transformed: A Hub for Critical Engagement in the Visegrad Countries