WOMEN, MENTAL WELL-BEING AND INFORMAL HOUSING

INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, mental health difficulties and depression affect people all over the world. Although this disorder can affect anyone, statistics show that women are twice as likely as males to suffer from depression. Thanks to the internet, this is no longer taboo; people are openly sharing their problems and seeking professional help. The research from the World Economic Forum collects perspectives from 5,000 women in 10 countries including India about their working experiences despite having different cultures and environments. It examines the societal expectations that may be impacting their careers. This issue more often leads to workplace anxiety and starts affecting their overall health.

STRESS AND EXTENDED WORKING HOURS HARM MENTAL HEALTH

Whether a woman living in a high-class society or a slum, one thing has remained constant: the expectation of doing home duties. Messy guys get a pass, but messy women are not so forgiving. Women have always had to deal with unpleasant realities. Those living in slums, especially in urban areas, can’t access basic amenities. There was a survey done in Telangana’s urban slum by Monogabay. Below are the things that were found: -

• Women start their day at 4 a.m. by cleaning the house and cooking on a wooden fire through which they have to experience a lot of heat that exhausts them from the start of the day.
• Later they work rigorously for 06 hours as house helps in nearby housing societies often enduring extreme heat during their commute.
• In the evening, they return to their homes to do laundry with a limited water supply and care for their children when they return from school.
• Women and young girls who do not attend school work over 12 hours every day in extreme temperatures.

Long periods of continuous physical labor performed in high temperatures with little supplies harm the health of women and young girls. Men mostly survive on daily wages. So the core responsibilities of running slums come on the shoulders of women.

HOUSEHOLD DUTIES INFLUENCE WOMEN'S CAREERS

If we talk about the condition of working women, we can say, the situation is critical. Girls have come out of their shells in recent years and are accomplishing great things in their lives. They are well-educated, earn a solid living, and make significant contributions to society, still, they face more pressure at the workplace, in domestic responsibilities, or non-inclusive behaviors. They always have to juggle between work and home responsibilities. It is normal for workplace anxiety to creep in, especially with heavier workloads that need to be handled within the time frame of their duty hours, an unreasonable manager, or long working hours.

The burden of being the epitome of perfection slowly affects the mental health of a person. Some factors that affect women's health are below: -

Hormonal Problems: -

In women, hormonal variations are more noticeable, particularly in menstruation, pregnancy, the postpartum phase, and menopause. Women experience many physical changes as well as mental ones, so they must psychologically prepare for and accept who they are. These changes can cause mood swings and depression symptoms.

Gender inequality: -

India invariably ranks higher on the gender inequality index by the United Nations. Women are judged for having a cluttered home. People's expectations of what it takes to be a good wife and partner are still very high and are held to those standards when they live with someone. Men do more outdoor chores, like lawn mowing and car washing, which occur less often. Working women face extra challenges because it is not only their job that must be handled, but also household chores, her in-laws, and carrying a child, which is a lifetime responsibility. It is not incorrect to say that stress occurs throughout one's life.

Threats and discrimination are commonplace for women in the workplace :-

When it comes to women's safety at work, during their commute, or when traveling for work, almost half of the women express concern. As per the World Economic Forum, one in 10 women is worried about their safety while traveling to work, and 16% deal with customers who have harassed them or acted uneasily. A quarter of women claim that people in senior positions have inappropriately commented or behaved towards them, while nearly one in ten report having experienced harassment from a coworker.

Life Encounters :-

Women and children report a higher rate of sexual abuse. Child abuse increased by 8.7% in India in 2022 with cases of 162000 reported by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). Factors like lack of education, poverty, and stressful living conditions put a big pressure on caregivers which increases the risk of outbursts and violence. Moreover, deep-rooted stigma around mental health and lack of awareness about child abuse make it difficult to spot. These things create post-traumatic stress in later life.

CONCLUSION

There are very few fortunate women who pursue their dreams and aspirations after marriage. Women must set limits, make time for self-care, and have confidence in their skills. Women are conditioned to take care of family responsibilities, even at the expense of their well-being. It shouldn't be the responsibility of women alone to change this. Both men and women must resist these old-fashioned gender norms. Discuss the effects of this imbalance with your male spouse if you're a woman living with one. Create a more fair division of labor at home. Gaining your partner's support will take time, but keep up the talk every day. Men, please start learning about this mismatch and its implications. You should also start contributing at work and home.