A Safe Space
For Women
to talk about the challenges of motherhood
to talk about the challenges of motherhood
In many African cultures, motherhood is not honored by others; instead, it is seen as a type of duty the woman must perform. The duty is not solely becoming a mother and having children, but also the correct upbringing of the baby in order for it to grow in the community. At the very base of our society’s definition, mothering includes the act of birthing and raising children.
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There is no guide on how to mother stepchildren. For stepmothers, cultural, societal and generational support does not (yet) exist at the same level as for new mothers or even adoptive or foster mothers. Our societies have traditionally responded to step mothering with, at best, a grudging acceptance, and at worst with negativity and suspicion (i.e., the wicked stepmother myth or the abusive stepfather) or with just plain indifference by pretending it doesn’t exist. The stepmother is frequently reduced to a secondary status within blended families due to a lack of blood ties (combined, perhaps, with a lack of seniority). Sadly, stepparenting has been stigmatised into almost a taboo topic for social settings.
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In divorce, a woman's position systematically differs from a man's position. Although there has been a large-scale increase in mothers' participation in the labour force, there has been no corresponding increase in fathers' domestic contributions. Women continue to bear the overwhelming responsibility for child-rearing. Because of this gendered division of labour within the family, women who are divorced, on average, face bleak financial prospects. Some of these women experience minimal child support and assets cut down the middle, which for most women means the sale of investments and a move to a smaller home or a return to their parental homes.
Read MoreThe common retort against the inclusion of women has been the narrative around motherhood. The expectation is that women are natural mothers and have an obligation to motherhood above all other priorities and desires. This narrative has been used to discourage women from political, social and economic aspirations.
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