In the absence of a community, how does one nurture and upbringing a child?
In the heart of a modern family, Yousra Samir Imran, a mother, finds herself navigating the challenges of an egalitarian Muslim family model while balancing work and childcare responsibilities. Yousra and her husband, both committed to sharing parenting duties equally, have been grappling with the lack of extended family support and affordable childcare options.
The absence of grandparents and other relatives to help with childcare has been a significant hurdle for Yousra. With urbanization and changing social structures, extended family support has diminished, leaving Yousra to shoulder the practical caregiving responsibilities, such as feeding, washing, potty training, and night-time care.
The impact of this lack of support is far-reaching, especially in South Asian and Middle Eastern communities. Traditionally, extended family members, particularly grandparents, have provided vital childcare, reducing the need for costly formal childcare services. However, when this support is absent, women like Yousra are often left with few options, leading to reduced working hours, less demanding jobs, or even exiting the workforce altogether.
This situation is further exacerbated by weak maternity and childcare policies in many Middle Eastern countries, limiting formal support systems that could compensate for the loss of extended family care. As a result, the female labor force participation rate remains low, with significant variation across countries in the region.
Yousra's story is not unique. Economic barriers, such as inflexible labor markets and limited formal childcare infrastructure, restrict women's employment opportunities more than cultural or religious norms alone. However, it is important to note that women's employment could significantly boost household incomes and contribute positively to broader economic development.
Recognising these challenges, some governments and organisations in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are pursuing policy reforms to empower women economically. Supportive workplace policies, including maternity leave, childcare subsidies, and family leave, are critical to addressing these challenges.
Yousra and her husband are trying innovative solutions to manage their work-family balance. They have adopted the 3x3 rule, where each parent gets three hours a week to do whatever they want, on their own. Despite the challenges, Yousra remains hopeful for the future. She dreams of a time when her son, Ammar, will shoulder some of the mental and emotional labor that goes into raising a child, helping to alleviate the extra work many mothers take on.
Yousra's journey is a testament to the resilience of modern families in the face of changing social structures. Her story underscores the need for targeted policy reforms and enhanced childcare support to improve women’s labor market outcomes and contribute to broader socio-economic development in the region.
In light of Yousra's struggles with the lack of extended family support and the need for more affordable childcare options, she has turned to the realm of health-and-wellness, seeking resources and strategies to manage stress associated with her mental health. As a parent, Yousra aspires for her son, Ammar, to grow up understanding the importance of mental health and sharing the mental-health related responsibilities in their family, thus embodying the ideals of a more equitable parenting model.
