---

Walking the walk

My life has dramatically changed in the six and a half years I’ve been working for Womankind – I’ve chosen to have two children. And I’m very lucky that as well as talking about women’s rights internationally, Womankind also walks the walk for its employees here in our London office, supporting flexible working.

Flexible working is a feminist issue

Flexible working is a feminist issue because it should be on offer – and encouraged -  for dads and mums alike if we are to rebalance parenting responsibilities. But lets face it’s also a feminist issue because whilst women still tend to do the majority of household tasks and childcare, it is women’s paid economic opportunities that are limited without such flexible arrangements.  Without it, it’s women who take the less well paid, less senior jobs or who (coupled with the jawdropping childcare costs) can’t afford to go back to work.

So I’ve been lucky that as a women’s rights organisation Womankind offers flexible working.  Most recently, for the last two and a half years, I’ve worked as half of a jobshare. And it worked remarkably well: for us, but also, I like to think, for Womankind getting double the commitment and skills. Now my jobshare partner has moved on (thanks for all your patience, humour and support Ellie and good luck in your new job) I still think it’s a great way to work. And clearly I’m not alone.

In December, nearly two thirds (61%) of senior women in the UK said they would welcome the opportunity of job sharing (research conducted by campaign group Working Families and diversity recruitment specialist Capability Jane). Opportunities for women will continue to be limited if UK employers don’t offer it .

Women, work and family in Kenya

And of course, the reality for women across the world, and the women with which Womankind works is far tougher.  For example, in Kenya family responsibilities seriously restrict women’s paid economic activities:

• only 29.4% of young mothers with a child under 6 are working
• in households with four or more children, only about 25% of mothers work for pay  (Source: ILO report)

The need to support women in accessing paid work should be a priority because it a question of their rights but also because in the face of the countries’ poverty, women are being prevented from generating income for themselves and their families.

However, political discussion of these issues are sidelined when women are so underrepresented in decision making and the formulation of public policy choice and priorities – only 10.4% of legislators in Kenya are women.  That’s why we are working with our partner CREAW to increase women’s participation in local and national politics so that issues affecting women are included in decision making arenas.

For me, my jobshare experience is another example of how working at Womankind has made me aware of how fortunate I am, and how for many women in the world the struggle to claim their rights is so much more difficult. But that’s just the motivation I need to do my job – convincing others to support Womankind’s work.

Sian is Womankind’s Head of Fundraising and Marketing, and we’re currently recruiting for a jobshare to cover the role two days a week: find out more.