Evolving role of Women in the Mauritian society

Nowadays, more and more women in Mauritius are participating in the more professional world as they are more educated. Furthermore, people are finding it very challenging to make both ends meet and hence their contribution to the family budget has?become more of a necessity. A common pattern is?witnessed when a majority of women, doing well?academically, enter the professional world; they get married, have to take care not only of their parents but also of their in-laws, have children and then starts the “merry go round” with its never ending list of additional responsibilities.
While women are spending longer hours outside of the home, their domestic responsibilities have not necessarily lessened.
It is now widely accepted that women should take an active role in the professional world whilst still handling the family matters without jeopardizing the family equilibrium. Society expects them to play both traditional and contemporary roles, with the same energy and dedication, that is without neglecting one at the expense of the other… How far is this realistic? Does this entail sacrifices from these women?
This role has been coined “sandwich generation”; the responsibility for women having to care for both their children together with their elderly relatives. Nowadays, with the advancement in medicine, life expectancy has greatly increased with people now living much longer.?Women/mums want the best for their family and unfortunately it is most of the time very difficult to strike “the right balance” with all the responsibilities and level of tasks that need to be handled on a daily basis. This may sometimes lead to substantial economic and personal sacrifices in order to satisfy the contemporary expectations of the Mauritian society. In trying to find the right balance among all these responsibilities, women may have to make some difficult choices
Some examples of tasks that need to be handled by these women are:
        •  Household chores
        •  Children rearing
        •  Follow up the educational cursus of ?their children
        •  Parents and “in laws” care
        •  Professional responsibilities