WHITE PAPER ABSTRACT: Work/Family Life Balance

In this white paper, Soroptimist International of the Americas, working to improve the lives of women and girls in local communities and throughout the world, examines the issue of work/family life balance. While women have entered the work force in increasing numbers throughout the world in the last few decades, their responsibility for family care has not declined in proportion. Today in many parts of the world, working mothers are part of a two-earner couple with children, and must typically juggle multiple forms of childcare and their work schedule, along with unpaid household responsibilities. If working mothers cannot achieve their desired work/family life balance not only is their income curtailed by virtue of working part-time or opting out of the workforce to care for children, but so is the economic development of countries through a reduced labor supply. Getting family-friendly workplace policies right will help reduce poverty and enhance equity between women and men. In addition, as parenting is also crucial to child development and the shape of future societies, decision makers—those in government and private firms—have many reasons to want to help working mothers—and fathers—find a better work/family balance.

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