The Gender Gap in Employment
Article by Presley Frank, Illustration by Mallika Sunder
The issue concerning the gender gap in employment is ongoing, and affects all women in today’s society. It has existed for years and continues to have unacceptable repercussions on women today. Around the world, finding a job for women is harder than it is for men, and even when women are employed, it is of lower-quality and in unsafe conditions. Globally, the current employment of men is 75%, while women are at 49%. The need to end the gender gap is crucial for our economy, for society, and for women around the world.
A huge aspect contributing to the gender gap in employment are the gender roles that are pushed upon women. Women often are pressured into conforming into society’s gender roles, which keep them from being able to reach their full potential in a job or career. These ideals make it seem wrong or incorrect for women to seek success in a job. Tearing down these gender roles and empowering women within the work force is critical for ending the gender gap in employment.
In situations where women are employed, it is often in worse conditions than that of a man. From the “International Labour Organization” it is said that women are more often put into “vulnerable employment.” This means that they are more likely to have unpaid work, shorter hours (not by choice), lack of maternity coverage and lack of social protection access. It also explains how “contributing family workers” affects women more so than men. This is where women get stuck in situations where they work for family businesses. The pressure to continue the family business leads to being poorly paid, having no access to social protection, and living in poverty. It is also a contributing factor to generational poverty.
The gender gap in employment is important to focus on, and fix, because of it’s overwhelming negative effects on society, and specifically women. Not only would this benefit women and society as a whole, but the global economy. Offering quality employment options for women, eliminating discrimination in employment (racial, gender, religious, sexual orientation, etc.) and empowering women into such positions is crucial to ending the gender gap in employment.
https://www.ilo.org/washington/areas/gender-equality-in-the-workplace/WCMS_159496/lang--en/index.htm
