Work and family balance - it's all about choices
Wednesday, 22 June 2005
A new discussion paper launched today by federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner Pru Goward titled 'Striking the Balance: Women, men, work and family' explores men's and women's choices for balancing their competing work and family responsibilities.
Commissioner Goward said the paper will tease out various aspects of the work and family debate by looking at choices people make between the 'public' realm of the paid workforce and the 'private' realm of the home.
"This project has important implications for women, men, their families and the nation. Australian families are caught between the pressures of paid work and the responsibilities of caring, and everyone is suffering as a result," said Ms Goward.
"Work and family balance is essentially about choices. It's not about favouring some forms of arrangements for managing paid work and family responsibilities over others, but rather an exploration of whether all types of families are provided with real choices for balancing their competing responsibilities."
'Striking the Balance' focuses on the particular issues faced by men and women in balancing their various responsibilities, on the gender relations that underpin the lives men and women lead, and on the legal, policy and attitudinal frameworks that both facilitate and constrain the choices open to men and women.
The paper poses key questions in the work and family debate, such as:
- Do women's and men's different paid and unpaid work obligations affect their economic outcomes, health, relationships and life changes?
- What are barriers to changing attitudes towards a more equal division of paid work and family responsibilities?
- What should the role be for the government, employers and families in promoting appropriate divisions of paid and unpaid work by Australian families?
"Make no mistake, families are changing. Men and women's roles are changing at home and at work and we must adapt accordingly," Commissioner Goward said.
"Work and family issues are all part of a closely connected puzzle, with reform and change in one area causing potential problems or solutions in another. It's all about finding a balance."
"But achieving this balance won't be easy. It may require legislative reform, change in social policy, change in workplace cultures and attitudinal change in the home."
"In this sense, this discussion paper is an attempt to anticipate the inevitability of change and to encourage awareness and early policy intervention which will lessen social and economic shock. The costs of choosing to do nothing are great; the benefits of change are greater."
