Recent conversations on how women carry the brunt on preserving our traditions (& community bonds) made me think of this article. When will we start focusing on the care work women do, not just for their families but also for their communities? @MACH_MV https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/21/woman-greatest-enemy-lack-of-time-themselves

In Maldives, women are responsible for the preservation of a variety of traditional activities (such as coir rope making, thatch weaving) despite the many hindrances, both economic and political.

Take for example the coir rope makers of kulhudhuffushi who had to witness the destruction of a wetland that their livelihoods depended on without even being consulted beforehand. Its their resilience that continues the industry today.

Several thatch weavers I met in Meemu Atoll spoke about how undervalued their work is. A 16ft bundle sells for Rf.70. When one considers the time spent weaving & collecting the materials (which also often includes coir rope making) it's insane to think they are paid under $5

These women attend to their housework, feed the family, take care of the children and still find time to carry the burden of preserving these traditional industries while not being paid adequately for the work they do, and facing countless obstacles to carry out the activities.

A lot of these activities also fall under unpaid care work. Baking of the Eid 'undhunu boakiba' is a tradition followed in many households. Recent Eid activities were a reminder of how women preserve our culture in so many forms. https://twitter.com/sara_naseem/status/1160430807745359874?s=19

The work these women do and their resilience is seldom recognised. But that would only be a first step towards redistributing the burden and ensuring they are adequately compensated for the work they do.

@yumna_maumoon @MACH_MV