The Invisible Load: How Caregiving Is Holding Back Women Across Southeast Asia

Across the globe, women are doing more than most people see. They are building careers, raising children, managing households, and in many cases carrying responsibility for their families’ wellbeing. This is not a new story. What is new is the growing body of data that helps quantify the scale of this load and how it shapes women’s experiences at work and at home.

Milieu Insight's Women's Safety & Confidence Perception Study, which surveyed 3,000 women across six Southeast Asian capital cities — Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore, highlights how caregiving responsibilities extend beyond personal challenges and intersect with workplace participation and career progression across the region.

The Caregiving Ceiling

When women across the region are asked what is holding back their careers, caregiving responsibilities emerge consistently as a key factor. In Vietnam, 56% of women identify family caregiving as a top barrier to career advancement, the highest in the region. Singapore follows at 48%, with Indonesia and Malaysia tied at 43%.

These figures suggest a complex pattern. In more economically developed cities such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Jakarta, caregiving appears to intersect more visibly with career ambitions. As workforce participation and professional expectations rise, domestic roles may not be evolving at the same pace, creating tension between competing responsibilities.

• 56% of women in Hanoi cite family caregiving as a top career barrier — the highest in SEA
• 48% of women in Singapore report the same challenge

Thailand presents the other end of the spectrum at 29%. This lower figure may reflect differences in workforce participation or career pathways rather than a more equal distribution of domestic responsibilities.

The Double Shift Few Acknowledge

Beyond caregiving, many women report expectations to manage both professional and household responsibilities. Across all six cities, a notable share of women describe pressure to handle work alongside most domestic duties, often referred to as the “double shift” or “double burden.”

Vietnam records the highest level at 36%, followed by Thailand (29%), Indonesia (26%), the Philippines (24%), Malaysia (23%), and Singapore (22%). Even at the lower end, these figures indicate that a significant minority of women continue to experience this dual expectation.

"Even in Singapore, 1 in 5 women report pressure to manage both full-time work and domestic duties — suggesting that economic development alone does not eliminate this challenge."

The pattern indicates that while economic progress has expanded professional opportunities, changes within the home may be evolving more gradually.

The Motherhood Penalty Across the Region

For women who become mothers, workplace challenges can intensify. Pregnancy- or maternity-related discrimination was reported in every city surveyed, with Vietnam recording the highest rate at 21%, compared with 7% in the Philippines, the lowest in the region. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore cluster around 10%, suggesting a relatively consistent regional experience.

While the data does not capture long-term career outcomes, these experiences may influence retention, progression, and perceptions of workplace support.

• 21% of women in Vietnam report pregnancy-related workplace discrimination
• ~1 in 10 women across Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore report similar experiences

The Flexibility Gap

One of the most consistent findings across all six cities is the strong demand for flexible work arrangements.

In Indonesia and Malaysia, 52% of women cite a lack of flexible work options as a major career barrier. In the Philippines and Singapore, the figure is 50%, while Vietnam (43%) and Thailand (38%) also show substantial demand. At the same time, 20–29% of women across the region report that their current workplace does not offer such arrangements.

For many women managing caregiving responsibilities, school schedules, and safety considerations around commuting, flexibility may play a significant role in sustaining workforce participation.

"Flexibility is often discussed as a benefit, but for many women managing caregiving and safety considerations, it may function as a key enabler of continued employment."

A Paradox at the Heart of Family Life

Despite these pressures, family relationships remain one of the top sources of happiness for women across all six cities.

In Malaysia, 58% of women say family is central to their happiness — the highest in the region. The Philippines follows at 47%, Singapore at 45%, Vietnam at 36%, Thailand at 35%, and Indonesia at 34%. The 24-percentage-point gap between Malaysia and Indonesia is notable and warrants further exploration.

In every city, financial security ranks equally high or higher than family as a driver of happiness. This suggests that women may view family wellbeing and economic stability as closely interconnected rather than competing priorities.

58% of women in Malaysia say family is central to their happiness — yet caregiving remains a commonly cited career barrier.

The data highlights a nuanced reality: family is both a source of meaning and a structural factor shaping women’s economic participation.

The Bottom Line

Southeast Asia’s economies continue to grow and evolve. The data indicates that women’s unpaid and caregiving labour remains an important, often unseen component of this growth.

The women in this study are not seeking to step away from family responsibilities. Rather, their responses suggest a desire for structures that better support their ability to participate fully in both family and economic life.

Understanding this distinction may be key for organisations and institutions seeking to support a resilient and inclusive workforce in the decade ahead.

This article draws on findings from Milieu Insight's Women's Safety & Confidence Perception Study, conducted in October-November 2025. The study surveyed 500 women in each of six Southeast Asian capital cities — Bangkok, Hanoi, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore, totalling 3,000 respondents. For the full dataset, contact sales@mili.eu.

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