Agender advocate, Adetoun Dally, has urged families to share childcare and household duties to ease the growing pressure on working mothers.
She said changing economic realities, which increasingly require both spouses to contribute financially to the family, should also encourage a corresponding shift in how household responsibilities are shared.
According to her, it is unfair for women who work full-time to return home and carry most of the domestic responsibilities alone.
Ms Dally stressed the need for couples to discuss their individual circumstances and develop practical arrangements for sharing chores, childcare and other family responsibilities.
She noted that the failure to address the imbalance could expose working mothers to excessive stress and burnout, with possible consequences for their mental wellbeing and family stability.
“Many women are stressed out; they burn out and suffer from the burden of managing work and family responsibilities,” she said.
The gender advocate identified parenting practices as one of the factors contributing to the unequal distribution of household duties between men and women.
She said boys were often raised with the expectation that domestic chores were primarily for girls, who were traditionally prepared for marriage and homemaking.
Ms Dally, therefore, advocated raising boys and girls with similar life skills, including cooking, cleaning and caring for themselves, saying this would promote responsible and independent adults.
She urged parents to teach boys to respect hard work and understand that domestic responsibilities should not be determined by gender.
“Boys should be raised to handle household chores and develop survival skills so that they can function independently in their personal homes,” she said.
Ms Dally also called for workplace policies that would reduce the pressure long working hours and shifts put on mothers, particularly those with young children.
She expressed concern about situations where children remained in schools for extended periods because their parents were still at work.
The advocate recommended improved access to workplace crèches and childcare facilities, especially for organisations where employees work long hours or shifts.
She said placing childcare facilities close to workplaces could help parents combine their professional responsibilities with adequate care for their children.
Ms Dally further urged employers and policymakers to consider family-friendly working arrangements that would protect the wellbeing of both parents and children.
She maintained that supporting working mothers was not solely a women’s issue but a collective responsibility that required the participation of husbands, families, employers and society.
The gender advocate said a fairer distribution of domestic responsibilities would ultimately promote healthier families and create a more balanced society.
