Over 40% of working women experience pregnancy discrimination despite legal protections, with many leaving jobs due to inadequate workplace support.
EVERY morning, Nur commutes nearly an hour to the office with her growing belly. Despite feeling physically exhausted, she strives to maintain her usual work performance.
“I have to appear strong because I don’t want people to think I’m uncommitted or weak,” she says with a weary smile. Yet, behind that smile lies the physical fatigue and emotional stress commonly experienced by pregnant women in the workplace.
More disheartening is that experiences like this are far from unusual. Many pregnant women face such situations, often overlooked or trivialised by society, as if their exhaustion and challenges are minor burdens they must bear alone.
Nur’s situation is not an isolated case. In today’s modern society, women have become a critical pillar of the national workforce. Yet, pregnancy, which should be celebrated as a life-giving gift, is sometimes still perceived as a burden by some employers.
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The Women’s Aid Organisation found that over 40% of working women experience discrimination during pregnancy. This raises the question: Do employers in Malaysia truly understand the needs and rights of pregnant women?
Globally, this issue is closely linked to Sustainable Development Goal Five: Gender Equality, which emphasises the importance of providing women with equal employment opportunities, protection during pregnancy and a safe, inclusive work environment.
When pregnant women continue to face discrimination or restrictions at work, it not only violates fundamental human rights but also undermines the country’s efforts to achieve equitable and sustainable development for all.
Challenges and policy gaps
For many women, pregnancy comes with a double burden of responsibility. In addition to maintaining work performance, they face significant physical and emotional challenges.
Some must stand for long periods, climb stairs daily or attend lengthy meetings without adequate breaks. Unfortunately, the stigma that pregnant women are “unproductive” or “burdensome to operations” still exists.
Some are excluded from promotion opportunities and, in some cases, employment contracts are not renewed after disclosing their pregnancy.
According to the Department of Statistics Malaysia, women’s labour force participation has remained around 55% to 56%, compared with 82.9% for men over the past few years.
Moreover, the fact that five million women are not in the workforce highlights a worrying trend, with little indication of improvement. The increasing number of women leaving their jobs after pregnancy, particularly in the private sector, points to a significant gap between policy and practice in the workplace.
The 2022 amendment to the Employment Act 1955 grants 98 days of maternity leave and prohibits employers from terminating contracts due to pregnancy.
In line with the International Labour Organisation’s Maternity Protection Convention, Malaysia emphasises women’s rights to work in a safe environment. However, in practice, these policies often exist only on paper.
Many women in contractual, part-time or informal employment remain insufficiently protected. They hesitate to speak up for fear of losing their jobs or being marginalised.
The existence of protective laws is meaningless if pregnancy is still viewed as a disruption to productivity in an organisation.
Pregnancy is not just about physical changes; it also involves emotional well-being. High work-related stress can affect both maternal and fetal health.
Studies show that women working in high-stress environments are at greater risk of prenatal depression or preterm birth.
Psychosocial support is crucial, whether from supervisors, colleagues or employers. Pregnant women need rest spaces, flexible working hours and understanding that productivity is not solely measured by physical presence.
Pregnancy-friendly work environments
It is time for organisations to reassess how they treat pregnant employees. Pregnancy-friendly practices go beyond providing maternity leave; they involve creating a work environment that values the well-being of both mother and child.
Some measures that can be considered include:
0 Offering flexible working hours or remote work options during the final trimester.
0 Providing lactation rooms and dedicated rest areas.
0 Training supervisors to be more sensitive to the needs of pregnant employees.
0 Integrating support for pregnant employees into corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Organisations that foster a culture of empathy not only gain more loyal employees but also enhance their corporate image.
To build a truly inclusive and humane workplace, we need to shift the perception that pregnancy is a weakness. Instead, it should be recognised as a natural part of life, vital for driving economic growth and national development.
Women should not have to choose between being mothers or outstanding professionals; they should be given the space to be both, without guilt or fear of marginalisation.
Assoc Prof Dr Azizan Zainuddin serves at the Faculty of Administrative Science and Policy Studies, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Shah Alam.
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