First Lady describes a woman's heavy responsibilities from her personal experience

First Lady Fazna Ahmed last night described a long list of responses if she were to be asked what women were doing to build a sustainable future. Women of all ages are on the list, including their busy lives and heavy responsibilities.

Fazna stated that women do a multitude of tasks, from running the household, doing business while simultaneously raising children.

At the function held by the Gender Ministry last night to mark International Women's Day, First Lady Fazna cited the burdens of a woman while taking examples from her personal life experience.

She said that when young couples have children, thy are able to go out to work because their mothers or sisters are there to look after their children at home. Elderly parents and children with disabilities who stay at home are also looked after by women dedicating all of their time to care for them.

"It's unfair and insulting to say that these women are comfortably staying at home without going to work" Fazna said.

She also gave an example from her own life, noting that there are men who think positively about women and believe that they entitled to equal opportunities in the community.

"My father, and even my husband do not force me to do or avoid doing certain things as a woman"

Her husband, President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, also attended the function.

"When a child is born, the man can easily continue his employment without any difficulty, while the woman lacks the right to even hold an opinion about this matter"

Fazna describes this as inequality for women.

"One day, a teacher entered my office and started to cry. She said that as she is pregnant for her second child, she would have to leave her job to look after two children. She shared that her husband also hoped for her to quit her job"

First Lady Fazna shares more of her experiences.

"If men and women do not share household responsibilities, the woman will have to employ someone to do housework. How many families have this option?"

Fazna said that if men take part in household responsibilities such obstacles to equality will be eliminated and the burden on women will be reduced.

During her time working at Thaajuddin School, she prepared a paper and submitted it to the Education Minister in 2002 or 2003. The paper included employees requests to provide one classroom to take care of their children when they go for overtime.

She said that she was pleased to see that some institutions have begun to initiate what they had advocated 20 years ago. She also praised the government's provision of six-month leave for women.

At the function held last night to mark International Women's Day, the government also presented the Rehendhi Award in recognition of women's work. Nine individuals won the award this year.

Winners of this year's Rehendhi Award:

1. Nafisa Ali: Working towards women's development

2. Dr. Fathimath Mufliha: Health Sector

3. Lieutenant Firushana Thaufeeq: Health Sector

4. Izzat Ahmed Nizar: Art, culture and heritage

5. Aishath Ibrahim: Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs)

6.Dhimna Faakir: Social Affairs

7. Shimla Ahmed: News and information dissemination

8. Fathimath Jabeen: Services to the office or industry

9. MPL: In the area of Employers or Institutions

Since 2014, Rehendhi Award has been conferred to women who provide valuable services for the development and progress of the community and the country.