WUHAN/BEIJING: When Yang Shixiu leaves a mushroom-sorting workshop in Nanzhang county, Hubei province, at 5 pm, she arrives home just in time to greet her 14-year-old son returning from school. For the first 14 years as a stay-at-home mother, Yang had no personal income. Today, she earns between 3,000 and 3,500 yuan (RM1,744 and RM2,035) a month at the workshop. But the job offers more than financial security — her confidence has grown alongside her paycheck. “I used to feel anxious staying home all day without earning anything,” she said. “Now I can support myself and still take care of my child. Life feels fuller and more balanced.” READ MORE: Excelling against the odds Yang is part of a growing wave of women benefiting from China’s expanding “mom jobs” — an employment model formalized through national guidelines in 2022. The initiative encourages local governments and companies to provide jobs that are close to home, with predictable workloads and flexible hours for caregivers of young children. Cities such as Guangzhou and Chongqing have already listed various positions in manufacturing, e-commerce, food processing, and community services. Hubei is among the first provinces to pilot a coordinated, province-wide program. In Nanzhang, community-level workshops have quickly become hubs for mothers seeking stable employment. The local government’s “Women Empowerment Plan” has established 371 women’s groups and 32 employment-support workshops linked to cooperatives and agricultural parks, creating a network of tailored job opportunities for women. “My world used to revolve only around my children,” said Han Yinyin, a mother of three. “Now I earn about 3,000 yuan (RM1,744) a month. I don’t have to count every penny anymore. I feel happier, I have colleagues to talk to, and I have a sense of value.” For many, flexibility is the biggest advantage. Liao Jiao, a drafter at a footwear company, completes most of her tasks before picking up her child from school. “If I want to earn more, I take drawings home,” she said. “My son does his homework next to me while I work. It feels fulfilling. This freedom gives me control over my life. My mood is better, and my health has improved, too.” Nanzhang has also strengthened its training programs for mothers to sustain these opportunities. The county invests 4 million yuan (RM2.32.million) annually in more than 40 skills courses — from e-commerce to housekeeping — which have benefited over 1,000 women this year alone. “Jobs for mothers should help women work with peace of mind,” said Luo Xingbin, Party secretary of Nanzhang. “This is not only about employment, but also about improving people’s well-being. Our goal is to make ‘mom jobs’ truly a ‘mom haven’.” Hubei’s approach is an early-stage experiment, making use of local strengths to create community-based positions that allow mothers to return to work without leaving their neighborhoods. At the same time, cities with different industrial structures are testing other models. In Shanghai, for example, the concept was reframed in 2024 as “family-friendly jobs”, with gender-neutral policies designed to support both […]
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