Women bear the brunt of caregiving, say advocates at forum

The Star

Women, especially those in the informal sector, continue to bear a disproportionate burden of caregiving, often at the expense of their careers, say women’s rights advocates.   At a forum, Polity executive chairman Nurul Izzah Anwar called for greater recognition of the care economy and structural support to ensure women aren't forced to choose between family and livelihood. Read more at https://tinyurl.com/nhaajpr7  WATCH MORE: https://thestartv.com/c/news SUBSCRIBE: https://cutt.ly/TheStar LIKE: https://fb.com/TheStarOnline

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00:00I think one of the things that at least helped me was the fact that I started young.

00:16So in a way, a lot of the leaders I've met, you know, I did meet in my youth, right,

00:21as I grew alongside the party in the party and also in my interaction with everybody.

00:28But I did, you know, I was a divorcee, and as a divorcee, I have to say,

00:34it's important to kind of first position yourself.

00:41I'm here as a leader and engaging with you, and I'm not looking at you or looking for a husband.

00:47And there is no, because I'm a divorcee, my status should not allow you to treat me

00:54or find rumours or spaces of vulnerability, because I think professionalism is something

01:01you have to cultivate.

01:03And it's also, you know, you can only control your actions, right?

01:06You can only control your worth.

01:09You can't control others.

01:11But I think you can also manage your responses.

01:13It's like they understand the main business.

01:14So I found that we need to really ensure our girls and boys recognize predatory behavior

01:24and also know how to face themselves, because sometimes you feel we're embarrassed.

01:30We're the ones who have to say we're sorry, but there's no need for you to apologize.

01:34So I think these are really important lessons that it took me some time to attempt it.

01:41I just try my best to also push back.

01:45It's very sad, because women face the double burden of not just, you know, most of them

01:50are in the informal sector.

01:52But if there's a responsibility and a responsibility of caregiving, they're always the best to be chosen.

01:58They're always the best to give up on their careers or their current jobs.

02:02So that's why child care and caregiving in general, right, for the elderly,

02:09this is something a robot can't kind of space or form.

02:15You know, there's always that encouragement, which I find to be problematic.

02:22You can't have it all.

02:23It's always, you know, you perhaps, you give up a little bit of your career at this particular juncture.

02:30You spend more time with your child and his or her for many years.

02:34Later on, that's why it's important for agencies, government, ecosystems to be made available

02:42so that you can go back to, you know, your career and enjoy the opportunities after you take the time off.

02:50So, Malaysia has a long way in terms of providing this.

02:56And of course, inshaAllah, I think it's with awareness.

02:58But the reality is, you know, be kind to yourself.

03:02I think, you know, it's okay.

03:04Sometimes you need to prioritize and choose, right?

03:08But it's also a push for the rest of us to make sure when the time comes,

03:13when they're going to come back and work, it can be so easy.

03:19But luckily, thank you.

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