Understanding and Analyzing the Stigmas Associated with Working Mothers in Islamabad, Pakistan

Abstract

A vigorous increment in the insertion of women in the work force has been noticed from 1948 to the present civilization, subsequently increasing the number of women to cross the threshold of the culturally defined role ever since World War 2. Although women have been progressively becoming a part of the workforce, societal conventions have allocated a binary character to them, demonstrating the need for women to work outside the home while maintaining their domestic and familial responsibilities. The motive for directing this cross-sectional qualitative study is to fill the existing gap in understanding the divergent forms of stigmas associated with working mothers and assess the impacts that these stigmas have on the lives of these mothers. This investigation focused on understanding and analyzing the divergent forms of stigmas associated with working mothers and how they impact their daily lives. This research study had calculatedly and deliberately employed a purposive sampling technique, making certain the accession of holistic and qualified data that had been marshaled with the point of reference of the research. The employment of a semi-structured interview guide facilitated a directed inquiry to understand the stigmas associated with working mothers comprehensively. The discovery through a thorough thematic analysis reveals a difficult position faced by women in contemporary society as working mothers, where they have to face a lack of work-life balance and supportive environment constantly, increased maternal guilt, mental health struggles, and career sacrifices. Endorsing the ethical and moral pennants, this study scrupulously employed primary data collection to contribute to the existing knowledge base in the company with the social change implications of this study to reduce mental health risks associated with the lack of work-life balance, decreased job dissatisfaction, and feeling of isolation in the experiences of working mothers.