Pune: An IT professional had to quit her job after marriage. She said, “I left my job as my in-laws were very well off and they did not want me to continue with my work. Its been two and a half years, but somewhere I feel that I have lost my financial independence and I am not able to use my skills to do something productive.”
A 35-year-old financial auditor quit her job due to her kids and their studies. She said, “When I quit my job, my salary was more than my husband’s salary but due to house responsibilities and kids, I had to quit my job. I do feel that somewhere my identity has been curbed due to it as I am not able to use my skills.”
Middle aged Suman, who had worked with MSRTC said, “My job was transferable one but my kids were really small and even after trying a lot to get the transfer in the same city, nothing worked out so I had to quit my job. It has been many years but the vacuum is there as I am not very satisfied as I could have continued my job if I got transferred in the same city.
These and many other such women let go their dreams taking up the responsibilities of home and hearth. Precisely, pinpointing the pain these women bear in their heart, city-based Vicharvedh Association, recently had conducted a survey on women who quit employment due to various responsibilities resulting in them leaving their jobs.
The result of the survey highlighted that 54 per cent of women who participated in the survey were not satisfied with their decision but had to take it. The survey took two months and 50 women participated in it belonged to various professions like healthcare, government sector, IT, clerical staff, teachers, sales professionals etc.
Sarita Awad of the association and one of the team members who conducted the survey, said, “It is very important for people to accept that women can also have a career and her career can be as demanding as men. If a husband is a great writer, actor or any professional, the entire family takes pride in that but that doesn’t happen in the case of women. Our society is such that question of household responsibilities are often imposed upon women and not men, thus in order to fulfil those commitments, women take such decisions like leaving their jobs.”
Awad said, “The competition at the work place has increased and to sustain in that environment, it is very important to perform well but for women it is a big dilemma as they have to prove themselves as a good housewife as well. Thus, in this pressure of proving themselves, they often succumb to it,” she added.
“We have found that women are capable and also want to encash their abilities but to prove themselves a good house wife they are unable to do so,” said Awad.
