Commentary: 10 reasons women struggle in the Caucasus

1. Division

There are ‘female’ and ‘male’ careers. A teacher, a shop assistant, a singer or a dancer – women are allowed in these professions. However, a programmer, a researcher, a mathematician or even a politician – they better not set foot there.

Women from the Caucasus have gotten accustomed to such settings since early childhood.

2. You are a mother, aren’t you?!

Early motherhood is still one of the main reasons why girls do not finish high school.

Most of them leave school immediately after marriage, which at the age of 18, 17 and even 16 are still a common occurrence in the Caucasus.

3. You are a women, aren’t you?!

Nowadays there are men who earnestly and steadfastly believe that marriage ‘closes the shutters’: it’s high time for a woman to put all silliness aside – even if she is envolved in space exploration – and focus on, for example, washing socks.

4. Double burden

By the way, no one stops washing socks even if you are a progressive resident of the capital and a brilliant expert in your field. At least 80 percent of the household chores rests solely on the working women of the Caucasus countries. Regrettably more than half of the women agree with such a state of affairs.

5. What would people say

If you are a girl from the Caucasus, building a career, then it would be nice to have a female boss. Then your father-brother-husband will have less questions when you for example go on a business trip with your boss or put in extra hours after the working day.

Regrettably, there are few female bosses.

6. Harassment

Its not necessary for your father or husband to be paranoid: workplace harassment (ie, sexual abuse) is quite ordinary, common and not always a well-realized thing.

In other words, if it is not expressed in direct sexual imposition, but ‘only’ in inappropriate compliments or salacious looks, public morality will not see anything wrong with that.

7. Money

More often than not the cake’s not worth the candle. According to statistics, women in our region earn 25-30 percent less than men for performing the same work. The salary which a young specialist counts on usually won’t even cover babysitter costs.

8. Daycare facilities

Only those residing in big cities can send their children to a daycare facility. There simply may not be any daycare facilities in the provinces.

9. Employer

If you have found a babysitter and a job that will help you pay her, know that the labor laws will not be on your side.

It is often designed so that it fully relies on your employer’s conscience when it comes to such issues as the duration of your maternity leave or the amount of maternity benefits payable. Moreover, many employers make deductions from your salary for the days of absence due to illness – either your own or that of your child.

10. Last but not least

It often happens that having overcome all obstacles and achieved a successful career, instead of a legitimate sense of pride you will experience something like shame: forgive me dear fellow citizens, it’s not that I really wanted it much, but it just happened somehow.