Working women demand day care centres

Islamabad: Women working in different private and public offices in the federal capital have demanded of the quarters concerned to ensure setting up day care centres at work places for them.

They complained that due to unavailability of day care centres at offices, working women were facing a lot of problems in their offices particularly those who don’t have proper family set up to look after their infants.

They said that many working women can’t afford to have maid for their infants, for taking care at home during their duty hours, which is also another concern due to safety of their child. They said if their children are at home during job time this thing also creates stress for them as they remained worry whole day for their child.

I can perform in better way if my office establishes a day care centre for my only child at office. This is natural when my child will be at home how I can perform well at office as all my attention will divert, said Shamim Asif, a working woman at public department.

I requested my office management several time to set up a day care centre to facilitate all women working in the office but so far they didn’t take any decision in this regard. Another working woman, Saba Wasim said many working women were facing difficulties due to absence of day care centres as they leave their careers when they don’t get support at work place.

She said that this has become one of major issue for women that compelled them to give up their careers, even though the number of women in the job market is increasing. When crimes related with maids were common how I can trust on them and give my small children in their custody at home, said Imrana Sohail Sadaf.

Faiza, a mother of three, who works at a private firm, said “I often use to bring them to work until they reached school-going age.” Another employee, Sawera Saqib, said our society has specific mind set considering children only responsibility of mothers without realizing their interest in improving their education or careers even after marriage. She urged to have proper legislation on the matter to address this concerning issue of working women.