She Can Work After Marriage, Only If Society Lets Her

Despite decades of progress towards gender equality, a mix of cultural and societal expectations, economic pressures and workplace structures, continue to push women to leave their paid employment once married.

In numerous societies, gender roles are still firmly established even today where a man is supposed to be the provider, and women is a caregiver.

Many times a womens parents and most of the times her in-laws come up with a condition of leaving the job after marriage even if she is a highly qualified woman. Often extended families and community norms discourage women from working after marriage as they are expected to take on the main role of household, and raising children.

And once the child comes into the picture, the pressure of staying at home amplifies. Women frequently have to bear the brunt of childcare, which makes it difficult for her to maintain full time employment.

In cultures where men don't participate in the household work, women's domestic duties conflict with her job hours and the jobs that don't accommodate for family responsibilities, push them to resign.

Arrival of a child is one of the most significant factors that leads a woman to quit from the workplace. With childcare becoming expensive and inaccessible, many people find it financially simple for a mother to stay at home.

In some countries the lack of reliable childcare options, also lead women to make this move.

In some families, if a man is earning significantly more than, families decide for her to not go as they feel if they have enough money from a provider, why does she need to work now.

At times, lack of support by spouse or community to balance work and life at the same time can make it challenging for women to continue her career. In some instances, social stigma pushes women to choose family over work, she subsides under those expectations.

Well, sometimes women choose to not work after marriage, especially after having a child, as they feel they want to focus more on their kids and their development and growth years instead of working at a full time job.

The idea of leaving a job after marriage or after having a child sometimes also depends on the personal values of a person, their religious beliefs, and priorities in life.

At times workplaces are not supportive for a married woman or working mother due to the lack of maternity leave, or flexible hours and no family friendly policies.

Ultimately, whether a woman decides to continue working after marriage should be her choice alone. But for that choice to be truly free, families, communities, and workplaces need to create an environment where women are not pressured into giving up their careers. Until these deep-rooted expectations are challenged and build support systems that value both work and caregiving, many women will continue to step back not out of desire, but out of obligation. And that is a cost our society can no longer afford to ignore.