Working woman in Pakistan must be praised for her struggle in the life. We are a Muslim society and eastern culture. Our socio cultural thinking is Islamic in nature but practically dominated by Hindu customs. Behind every working lady there are some miseries, unmet needs, financial compulsions, domestic issues and many others. But definitely some have motivations, inspirations and spark in their life to struggle and move ahead.
I started dreaming my career and professional life during my school days. I wished to be a useful part of my family and society. I started planning to build my carrier when I was studying at College of Home Economics, which has been elevated to the level of a National University now. I was a careless and carefree young student and least bothered for doing anything even after getting my bachelor’s degree. My MPhil was approaching to end and I was jobless.
My father always motivated me to wait for the right time and for the right job. That was the time when I was carefree and no interest in money making because I was enjoying my life on my father’s behalf.
A few months after getting job, I was married and then realized that life was not so easy. It is the most difficult task to create balance between commitments of a married life and professional deeds. My performance and delivery was affected at both ends. Both sides demanded equal attention and of course it was a tedious job. There were so many distractions on my way to success and being a new comer in the practical life, it was also challenging.
It may be true that being a professional, odds add strength to your life. Practically speaking, it’s not the whole truth. You have to pay one thing for getting another thing. There is always an opportunity cost you have to pay for anything you want to get in your life. Something must have to suffer. It may be your family life, your carrier or you yourself. Balancing life is like a tug of war. Working women throughout their lives keep on passing through this tug of war to have a balance between their personal and professional lives.
Every woman is unique by nature. Even woman is a unique creation. Working woman struggles not only for her own self but for the well-being of her family including husband, children and her husband’s belongings fatiguing her body and soul on daily basis. No matter how many mental and physical breakdowns hit her daily but she ends up doing all her duties on time without break.
There is no holiday for working woman. Even on weekends, every woman works from day to night (from breakfast till dinner) at the cost of her peace and still committed to her duties. These are undeniable facts of every working woman’s life, she faces while having bouts of stress during her daily life. Sometimes she appears to be a working machine.
Undoubtedly every woman is a very special. She is significant in her own personality. I am of the firm opinion that every woman must be treated as special. As she does not only deal with her own issues but so many others like husband, children, in-laws, co-workers, employees, boss etc. We are living in a gender bias society where there is a clear cut discrimination everywhere. The work done by men is WORK whereas the work done by women is of no worth and is considered ‘NOTHING’ or ‘YE BHI KOI KAMON MAI KAM HAI. ‘
Moreover, it is very difficult to face people who talk ‘Nasty” about working women. It might flare you up and lower your esteem often. No matter how many obstacles hinders your way and make it difficult for a lady to cover all the areas of life other than home in the allocated time. Social and leisure activities suffer as you have no time for it. Many of the working women are striving for ‘ME TIME’ throughout the day.
Every day working women empower themselves to face new challenges of life. It is very difficult for them to come up with desired results but shattered confidence, low morale and hopelessness.
Working woman is not only a working machine but a wife, a daughter, a sister and a mother also. So there must be a just support system for the woman at every home. She must be supported as sister, wife, mother and daughter. We must support her to establish a balanced and growing society.
To all my colleagues and fellows working women, I must say “Embrace Yourself”. Embrace your success at every step. Cherish all the moments in the way of your success. Pay homage to what you are doing and how you are contributing to the wellbeing of your family and the society. Know your value. Because your every effort is not going to be recognized. Not everyone is going to acknowledge you for what you are doing beyond your limits.
The writer is M Phil in Textile & clothing and lecturer/HoD of Home Economics Department at a local degree college in Lahore