Balancing Act: What It's Like For A Working Mom In The MENA

In the MENA region, several challenges remain for women in the business arena, particularly new mothers and primary caregivers. Many of them face barriers going up the career ladder as well as in the workplace, often due to insufficient support systems and societal expectations.

According to a 2021 report by the Arab States Civil Society Organizations and Feminists Network, the MENA region has one of the lowest female labor force participation rates globally, with approximately 18.4 percent of women engaged in the formal economy, compared to a global average of 48 percent.

This stark disparity is due to insufficient support systems for working mothers, coupled with low wages and restricted benefits in the private sector. These factors prevent many women from working-class, low-income, and conservative families from entering the formal workforce.

The Juggling Struggle

The constant urge to maintain performance and parenting, fulfill career milestones and family responsibilities, and climb the corporate ladder while cherishing special moments is a challenge for many mothers.

Jessy Radwan CEO and Co-founder of Carerha. Courtesy of Jessy Radwan.

“As a mom of two, it’s a struggle to balance between all these dimensions,” says Jessy Radwan, co-founder and CEO of Carerha, a female-focused edtech platform based in Egypt that empowers women economically while also fostering inclusive workplaces. “To survive through it seems like an everyday routine; however, the struggle is real. It takes years to adapt and achieve that balance. Being a supermom is just a myth.”

Perihan Abouzeid, founder of PeriCare, a femtech startup based in UAE focusing on building products serving the unmet needs of working mothers, agrees with Radwan. “Psychologically, this can lead to feelings of inadequacy, or the need to constantly prove oneself, which is a significant mental burden on top of the physical demands of motherhood,” Abouzeid says. “Often, this leads to the mother ignoring her needs, or not speaking up when things get tough, which ultimately takes a toll on her own wellbeing.”

Nuha Hashem, co-founder of Zywa, a UAE-based payment app and card made for youth between the ages of 10 and 24, emphasized the challenge women face when trying to balance their professional lives with motherhood. “Many experience imposter syndrome, feeling they’re neither good enough mothers, nor dedicated enough professionals,” Hashem points out. “This constant internal conflict leads to stress, anxiety, and often, burnout. The pressure to prove themselves in both spheres can be overwhelming, affecting their mental health and overall well-being.”

The ‘Mom Guilt’ Syndrome

This constant balancing act can also lead to feelings of guilt and inadequacy, causing many working mothers to doubt themselves. “‘Mommy brain’ is a true challenge, where new moms unconsciously get used to mothering duties, and then struggle to bounce back as a worker,” Radwan says. “A three-month maternity leave wouldn’t be enough to recover and adapt to being a mother.”

It’s as if these working mothers are engaged in a never-ending marathon as they attempt to keep up with the expectations of the world around them. And some of these expectations are self-imposed. “We become so overwhelmed by the amount of balance that is expected from us in every single aspect,” Radwan explains. “This puts huge pressure and ignites the ‘mom guilt.'"

Hashem adds that most women tend to blame themselves if they want to advance in their careers besides their family commitments. “Women feel like they are failing as mothers if they pursue professional ambitions, leading to guilt and stress,” Hashem points out. This guilt can arise from feelings that they are not doing enough in either area of their lives. Abouzeid agrees that juggling work and motherhood often leads to burnout and guilt in mothers who feel that they are not able to give 100 percent to either role.

A study by the British Psychological Society published in 2022 indicated that mothers tend to feel more guilty about committing to their work schedules compared to fathers, which highlights how societal norms shield men from feelings of guilt related to work-family conflicts, while placing that burden on women. “In our culture, women are often expected to be the main caregivers at home, even when they have full-time jobs,” Hashem adds. “This double duty puts immense pressure on working mothers. Our family structures play a big part too. Also, while extended families can offer great support, they can also reinforce traditional roles.”

Missing Support Systems 

According to PwC Middle East’s Women in Work Survey 2022, many women returning to the workforce after a career break feel unsupported by their employers. The survey highlights that this is primarily due to gender biases and the lack of flexible work policies.

Returning to the workplace after a career break due to family commitment or giving birth might be another challenge for working mothers. This gap is often perceived negatively by employers who doubt the skills that working mothers bring to the table.

Perihan Abouzeid General Manager PeriCare. Courtesy of Perihan Abouzeid.

“There’s also a common fear that career momentum has been lost,” Abouzeid says. “For many mothers, the transition back to work can feel isolating and overwhelming, especially if their employer doesn’t provide adequate support.”

When it comes to mothers returning to work after a break, Hashem notes that they might encounter a skills gap owing to rapid industry changes, and therefore go on to experience a loss of confidence in their professional abilities. “Their professional networks may have shrunk, and they often struggle with the physical and emotional stress of readjustment,” Hashem notes.

Radwan adds that in a competitive landscape, returning working moms often tend to fight to find a spot due to the break they took.

The challenges might start during the hiring process in human resource (HR) departments, where they may face unconscious bias and discrimination that affect their opportunities for hiring or promotion. “It’s those invisible barriers that are hardest to overcome – unspoken assumptions that mothers aren’t as flexible or willing to take on larger roles due to family commitments,” Abouzeid says.

“Corporates would hire single women and men rather than hire married women with family commitments,” Radwan adds. “This judgment eventually disappointed me, despite my talents, just because I’m a mother.”

Other challenges include the limited options for flexible work arrangements or remote work. This absence of flexibility hinders mothers from maintaining a healthy work-life balance and managing both work and family responsibilities. Additionally, the lack of accessible and affordable childcare options in most companies are major limitations.

Abouzeid also highlights the mental struggles a new mother often undergoes to adapt to her newborn’s schedule. “A mom with postpartum depression, for instance, suffers a lot, as almost no working policy accommodates for such a challenge, forcing the mom to hide her pain,” she says.

A Cultural Shift

In terms of solutions, Hashem underscores the need for better policies, like longer parental leave for both parents and more flexible work options – but there is also a need for a cultural shift. Companies need to value the contributions of working mothers both at home and in the workplace, she says.

Nuha Hashem Co-Founder at Zywa. Courtesy of Nuha Hashem,

"To raise awareness about the challenges faced by working mothers, we need an approach that combines open dialogue, media engagement, and corporate leadership,” Hashem says. “A more inclusive environment that allows the employee to embrace her new role as a mother is rather crucial. This starts with training line managers of working mothers on the health changes and wellbeing needs of their team members who just had babies, as well as offering dedicated spaces like lactation rooms for moms.”

By recognizing the challenges that working mothers encounter and adopting inclusive policies and practices, companies can attract and retain top talent, foster gender equality, and enhance the overall well-being of their workforce.

Earlier this year, an ambitious proposal was put forth by the UAE government, which has already implemented an improved maternity policy, suggesting a hybrid work model for mothers with children under ten. By introducing an option to work from home, working mothers can better manage their work schedule around childcare duties, medical appointments, and other family commitments. (Notably, 87 percent of UAE residents voted for a remote work option in a survey conducted by local newspaper Khaleej Times.)

Hashem also proposes that in order to address working mothers’ struggles, policymakers in the region should work on extending maternity leave duration (e.g. the UAE extended it to 90 days with full salary in 2024), introducing or extending paternity leave to promote shared parenting responsibilities, mandating companies to offer re-entry programs for mothers returning after career breaks, and enforcing penalties for pregnancy and motherhood discrimination in hiring and promotion.

According to a report by the International Labor Organization (ILO) about investing in care policy packages, nearly 13 million jobs could be generated in 12 countries throughout the MENA region by 2035 through investments in care policies, including childcare-related leave, breastfeeding breaks for working mothers, and the expansion of early childhood care and education and long-term care services.

Offering childcare facilities on-site or nearby is another way companies can support working mothers. Welcoming children in the workplace can positively influence working mothers’ relationships with their employers. Investing in family-friendly policies is beneficial for businesses, as providing mothers with the time, resources, and support they need enhances job retention.

Although progress has been made, there is still potential for further improvement in the region. Companies must acknowledge the contributions that mothers make to the workforce and support them.

"By advocating for more comprehensive and equitable parental leave policies, countries in the MENA region can work towards reshaping cultural norms, promoting gender equality both at home and in the workplace, and supporting the overall well-being of families and the workforce,” Hashem concludes.