25% Indian women quit work after children, says report

Numerous surveys and news reports have stated how working mothers are discriminated against. A recent survey by the Associated Chambers of Commerce, however, explains the reason behind the increasing number of women quitting their jobs to become full-time mothers. According to the survey, 25% of first-time mothers in India quit jobs to raise their children.

Having surveyed 400 women aged 25- 30, from 10 major cities in the country: Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Indore, Jaipur, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai; Associated Chambers of Commerce found that about one-fourth of the women who recently had their first child quit their jobs to raise their children.

According to NDTV Profit, the survey stated: "A growing number of highly-educated women in urban India are abandoning their professional lives to become full-time mothers as raising children while maintaining a serious career becomes complex," adding, "However, many of those willing to pursue their career again after a few years of motherhood said they do not want to return to the same job due to fear of discrimination."

Picture By: Baby Center.com

The survey further said that about 30% women in Ahmedabad, Delhi, Jaipur, Lucknow and Kolkata quit their jobs after their first child was born, while in in Bangalore, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore and Mumbai, about 15-20% chose to do the same.

Even though most of these women were highly educated and said that they would like to go back to work after their children start going to school, the ones who didn’t said that they had different priorities. According to Assocham Secretary General D S Rawat, women living in nuclear families, especially those who don’t have helpers, find it extremely difficult balance work and family-life.

According to the report, he added, "Stress and emotional distress associated with household chores, social commitments and other obligations make raising kids a delicate balancing act for women, which tends to take a toll on their career ambitions."Among these women, many chose to work out of the comforts of their homes, in an effort to give equal attention to both.

ORIGINAL SOURCE: NDTV Profit

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