August 2023 – The pursuit of decent employment and equal opportunities for women is a crucial aspect of gender equality and social development. The barriers and challenges that women face in accessing the same employment opportunities as men can have far-reaching implications for both their personal lives and the broader society.

However, according to a 2018 report by the World Bank, 2.75 billion women do not have the same employment opportunities as men. This is compounded by factors such as that 104 economies around the world have some form of job restrictions on women’s work, for instance in industries such as mining, manufacturing, construction, energy, agriculture, water and transportation. In addition,  persistent sexual harassment in the workplace and restrictions on freedom of movement also represent obstacles to women’s participation in social and economic life.

In order to reduce such inequalities and combat poverty, it is crucial that governments and socio-economic actors increasingly focus their attention on empowering women and removing the obstacles they continue to face. It may, for example, be necessary to completely reconsider working conditions and pay in professions that are highly ‘feminised,’ such as the care professions and the subcontracted garment industry.

To explore these issues, Equal Times has put together a selection of articles from its archives which offer both solutions and inspiration.

Read more here.

Picture credit: Equal Times