Much More Than a Mom
By Galia Wolloch, president, NA’AMAT Israel
Every year, in honor of International Women’s Day, depressing statistics are published on the inconceivable wage gaps of approximately 30% between women and men. The fact causing the most despair is that the gap has remained at a similar rate for decades already, as if there have been no cultural, social and structural changes in the country.
It is no secret that one of the major causes of the gaps in status and wages is the fact that women still tend to take upon themselves (or accept) primary responsibility for childcare. Even though women have fully entered the job market and constitute about half of it, their traditional role as caretakers of children has not been reduced accordingly – and this dual burden makes it difficult for them to integrate and advance.
