Govt’s enhanced marriage and parenthood package not
encouraging couples to have more children
The government's enhanced marriage and parenthood package
introduced last year has played a significant role in attracting
women back to work.
About 9 in 10 working mothers with young children surveyed said
so.
But asked if the package would encourage them to have more
children, less than half of the 230 women surveyed said
yes.
The high cost of living, competitive education system and a lack of
personal space are several reasons for them not wanting to have
more children.
The survey was conducted by the NTUC's Women Development
Secretariat to assess the impact of the enhanced measures on a
woman's decision to go back to work, as well as have more
kids.
The enhanced package provides among other benefits, four months
maternity leave, up from three and longer child care leave, from
two to six days a year.
While less than half of the women wanted more kids, more than 9 in
10 of the women generally felt their companies were supportive of
female employees utilising their maternity and child care
leave.
Eight in 10 of the women also said they had no problems applying
for such leave.
However, slightly more than one in 10 percent felt their
performance appraisals were affected despite the good work they
feel they've been putting in.
Director of the Women's Development Secretariat, Madam Halimah
Yacob, believes the results show that most employers have adjusted
well to the enhanced leave benefits.
Most also do not hold a women's pregnancy against her in deciding
on career advancements.
But there will continue to be a minority of employers who practise
discrimination against pregnant women, Madam Halimah
acknowledged.
She urged people to speak up against them and make it difficult for
them to continue with their ways.
Madam Halimah also urged workers to be more understanding of
colleagues who are mothers-to-be.
Three hundred unionists and HR practitioners who attended a seminar
this morning on fair employment practices were also encouraged to
introduce and practise human resource policies that look beyond
gender or family status.
--938Live