essay on women's work and equality

Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls

Gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. There has been progress over the last decades, but the world is not on track to achieve gender equality by 2030.

Women and girls represent half of the world’s population and therefore also half of its potential. But gender inequality persists everywhere and stagnates social progress. On average, women in the labor market still earn 23 percent less than men globally and women spend about three times as many hours in unpaid domestic and care work as men.

Sexual violence and exploitation, the unequal division of unpaid care and domestic work, and discrimination in public office, all remain huge barriers. All these areas of inequality have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic: there has been a surge in reports of sexual violence, women have taken on more care work due to school closures, and 70% of health and social workers globally are women.

At the current rate, it will take an estimated 300 years to end child marriage, 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments.

Political leadership, investments and comprehensive policy reforms are needed to dismantle systemic barriers to achieving Goal 5 Gender equality is a cross-cutting objective and must be a key focus of national policies, budgets and institutions.

How much progress have we made?

International commitments to advance gender equality have brought about improvements in some areas: child marriage and female genital mutilation (FGM) have declined in recent years, and women’s representation in the political arena is higher than ever before. But the promise of a world in which every woman and girl enjoys full gender equality, and where all legal, social and economic barriers to their empowerment have been removed, remains unfulfilled. In fact, that goal is probably even more distant than before, since women and girls are being hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Are they any other gender-related challenges?

Yes. Worldwide, nearly half of married women lack decision-making power over their sexual and reproductive health and rights. 35 per cent of women between 15-49 years of age have experienced physical and/ or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.1 in 3 girls aged 15-19 have experienced some form of female genital mutilation/cutting in the 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East, where the harmful practice is most common with a high risk of prolonged bleeding, infection (including HIV), childbirth complications, infertility and death.

This type of violence doesn’t just harm individual women and girls; it also undermines their overall quality of life and hinders their active involvement in society.

Why should gender equality matter to me?

Regardless of where you live in, gender equality is a fundamental human right. Advancing gender equality is critical to all areas of a healthy society, from reducing poverty to promoting the health, education, protection and the well-being of girls and boys.

What can we do?

If you are a girl, you can stay in school, help empower your female classmates to do the same and fight for your right to access sexual and reproductive health services. If you are a woman, you can address unconscious biases and implicit associations that form an unintended and often an invisible barrier to equal opportunity.

If you are a man or a boy, you can work alongside women and girls to achieve gender equality and embrace healthy, respectful relationships.

You can fund education campaigns to curb cultural practices like female genital mutilation and change harmful laws that limit the rights of women and girls and prevent them from achieving their full potential.

The Spotlight Initiative is an EU/UN partnership, and a global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls – the world’s largest targeted effort to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

Facts and figures

Goal 5 targets.

• With only seven years remaining, a mere 15.4 per cent of Goal 5 indicators with data are “on track”, 61.5 per cent are at a moderate distance and 23.1 per cent are far or very far off track from 2030 targets.
• In many areas, progress has been too slow. At the current rate, it will take an estimated 300 years to end child marriage, 286 years to close gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws, 140 years for women to be represented equally in positions of power and leadership in the workplace, and 47 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments.
• Political leadership, investments and comprehensive policy reforms are needed to dismantle systemic barriers to achieving Goal 5. Gender equality is a cross-cutting objective and must be a key focus of national policies, budgets and institutions.
• Around 2.4 billion women of working age are not afforded equal economic opportunity. Nearly 2.4 Billion Women Globally Don’t Have Same Economic Rights as Men  
• 178 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent women’s full economic participation. Nearly 2.4 Billion Women Globally Don’t Have Same Economic Rights as Men
• In 2019, one in five women, aged 20-24 years, were married before the age of 18. Girls | UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children

Source: The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2023

5.1 End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere

5.2 Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation

5.3 Eliminate all harmful practices, such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation

5.4 Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work through the provision of public services, infrastructure and social protection policies and the promotion of shared responsibility within the household and the family as nationally appropriate

5.5 Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decisionmaking in political, economic and public life

5.6 Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences

5.A  Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance and natural resources, in accordance with national laws

5.B Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women

5.C Adopt and strengthen sound policies and enforceable legislation for the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls at all levels

He for She campaign

United Secretary-General Campaign UNiTE to End Violence Against Women

Every Woman Every Child Initiative

Spotlight Initiative

United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

UN Population Fund: Gender equality

UN Population Fund: Female genital mutilation

UN Population Fund: Child marriage

UN Population Fund: Engaging men & boys

UN Population Fund: Gender-based violence

World Health Organization (WHO)

UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)

UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)

UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Gender Statistics

Fast Facts: Gender Equality

Infographic: Gender Equality

The Initiative is so named as it brings focused attention to this issue, moving it into the spotlight and placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

An initial investment in the order of EUR 500 million will be made, with the EU as the main contributor. Other donors and partners will be invited to join the Initiative to broaden its reach and scope. The modality for the delivery will be a UN multi- stakeholder trust fund, administered by the Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office, with the support of core agencies UNDP, UNFPA and UN Women, and overseen by the Executive Office of the UN Secretary-General.

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The history of women’s work and wages and how it has created success for us all

As we celebrate the centennial of the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote, we should also celebrate the major strides women have made in the labor market. Their entry into paid work has been a major factor in America’s prosperity over the past century and a quarter.

Despite this progress, evidence suggests that many women remain unable to achieve their goals. The gap in earnings between women and men, although smaller than it was years ago, is still significant; women continue to be underrepresented in certain industries and occupations; and too many women struggle to combine aspirations for work and family. Further advancement has been hampered by barriers to equal opportunity and workplace rules and norms that fail to support a reasonable work-life balance. If these obstacles persist, we will squander the potential of many of our citizens and incur a substantial loss to the productive capacity of our economy at a time when the aging of the population and weak productivity growth are already weighing on economic growth.

A historical perspective on women in the labor force

In the early 20th century, most women in the United States did not work outside the home, and those who did were primarily young and unmarried. In that era, just 20 percent of all women were “gainful workers,” as the Census Bureau then categorized labor force participation outside the home, and only 5 percent of those married were categorized as such. Of course, these statistics somewhat understate the contributions of married women to the economy beyond housekeeping and childrearing, since women’s work in the home often included work in family businesses and the home production of goods, such as agricultural products, for sale. Also, the aggregate statistics obscure the differential experience of women by race. African American women were about twice as likely to participate in the labor force as were white women at the time, largely because they were more likely to remain in the labor force after marriage.

If these obstacles persist, we will squander the potential of many of our citizens and incur a substantial loss to the productive capacity of our economy at a time when the aging of the population and weak productivity growth are already weighing on economic growth.

The fact that many women left work upon marriage reflected cultural norms, the nature of the work available to them, and legal strictures. The occupational choices of those young women who did work were severely circumscribed. Most women lacked significant education—and women with little education mostly toiled as piece workers in factories or as domestic workers, jobs that were dirty and often unsafe. Educated women were scarce. Fewer than 2 percent of all 18- to 24-year-olds were enrolled in an institution of higher education, and just one-third of those were women. Such women did not have to perform manual labor, but their choices were likewise constrained.

Despite the widespread sentiment against women, particularly married women, working outside the home and with the limited opportunities available to them, women did enter the labor force in greater numbers over this period, with participation rates reaching nearly 50 percent for single women by 1930 and nearly 12 percent for married women. This rise suggests that while the incentive—and in many cases the imperative—remained for women to drop out of the labor market at marriage when they could rely on their husband’s income, mores were changing. Indeed, these years overlapped with the so-called first wave of the women’s movement, when women came together to agitate for change on a variety of social issues, including suffrage and temperance, and which culminated in the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920 guaranteeing women the right to vote.

Between the 1930s and mid-1970s, women’s participation in the economy continued to rise, with the gains primarily owing to an increase in work among married women. By 1970, 50 percent of single women and 40 percent of married women were participating in the labor force. Several factors contributed to this rise. First, with the advent of mass high school education, graduation rates rose substantially. At the same time, new technologies contributed to an increased demand for clerical workers, and these jobs were increasingly taken on by women. Moreover, because these jobs tended to be cleaner and safer, the stigma attached to work for a married woman diminished. And while there were still marriage bars that forced women out of the labor force, these formal barriers were gradually removed over the period following World War II.

Over the decades from 1930 to 1970, increasing opportunities also arose for highly educated women. That said, early in that period, most women still expected to have short careers, and women were still largely viewed as secondary earners whose husbands’ careers came first.

As time progressed, attitudes about women working and their employment prospects changed. As women gained experience in the labor force, they increasingly saw that they could balance work and family. A new model of the two-income family emerged. Some women began to attend college and graduate school with the expectation of working, whether or not they planned to marry and have families.

By the 1970s, a dramatic change in women’s work lives was under way. In the period after World War II, many women had not expected that they would spend as much of their adult lives working as turned out to be the case. By contrast, in the 1970s young women more commonly expected that they would spend a substantial portion of their lives in the labor force, and they prepared for it, increasing their educational attainment and taking courses and college majors that better equipped them for careers as opposed to just jobs.

These changes in attitudes and expectations were supported by other changes under way in society. Workplace protections were enhanced through the passage of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act in 1978 and the recognition of sexual harassment in the workplace. Access to birth control increased, which allowed married couples greater control over the size of their families and young women the ability to delay marriage and to plan children around their educational and work choices. And in 1974, women gained, for the first time, the right to apply for credit in their own name without a male co-signer.

By the early 1990s, the labor force participation rate of prime working-age women—those between the ages of 25 and 54—reached just over 74 percent, compared with roughly 93 percent for prime working-age men. By then, the share of women going into the traditional fields of teaching, nursing, social work, and clerical work declined, and more women were becoming doctors, lawyers, managers, and professors. As women increased their education and joined industries and occupations formerly dominated by men, the gap in earnings between women and men began to close significantly.

Remaining challenges and some possible solutions

We, as a country, have reaped great benefits from the increasing role that women have played in the economy. But evidence suggests that barriers to women’s continued progress remain. The participation rate for prime working-age women peaked in the late 1990s and currently stands at about 76 percent. Of course, women, particularly those with lower levels of education, have been affected by the same economic forces that have been pushing down participation among men, including technical change and globalization. However, women’s participation plateaued at a level well below that of prime working-age men, which stands at about 89 percent. While some married women choose not to work, the size of this disparity should lead us to examine the extent to which structural problems, such as a lack of equal opportunity and challenges to combining work and family, are holding back women’s advancement.

Recent research has shown that although women now enter professional schools in numbers nearly equal to men, they are still substantially less likely to reach the highest echelons of their professions.

The gap in earnings between men and women has narrowed substantially, but progress has slowed lately, and women working full time still earn about 17 percent less than men, on average, each week. Even when we compare men and women in the same or similar occupations who appear nearly identical in background and experience, a gap of about 10 percent typically remains. As such, we cannot rule out that gender-related impediments hold back women, including outright discrimination, attitudes that reduce women’s success in the workplace, and an absence of mentors.

Recent research has shown that although women now enter professional schools in numbers nearly equal to men, they are still substantially less likely to reach the highest echelons of their professions. Even in my own field of economics, women constitute only about one-third of Ph.D. recipients, a number that has barely budged in two decades. This lack of success in climbing the professional ladder would seem to explain why the wage gap actually remains largest for those at the top of the earnings distribution.

One of the primary factors contributing to the failure of these highly skilled women to reach the tops of their professions and earn equal pay is that top jobs in fields such as law and business require longer workweeks and penalize taking time off. This would have a disproportionately large effect on women who continue to bear the lion’s share of domestic and child-rearing responsibilities.

But it can be difficult for women to meet the demands in these fields once they have children. The very fact that these types of jobs require such long hours likely discourages some women—as well as men—from pursuing these career tracks. Advances in technology have facilitated greater work-sharing and flexibility in scheduling, and there are further opportunities in this direction. Economic models also suggest that while it can be difficult for any one employer to move to a model with shorter hours, if many firms were to change their model, they and their workers could all be better off.

Of course, most women are not employed in fields that require such long hours or that impose such severe penalties for taking time off. But the difficulty of balancing work and family is a widespread problem. In fact, the recent trend in many occupations is to demand complete scheduling flexibility, which can result in too few hours of work for those with family demands and can make it difficult to schedule childcare. Reforms that encourage companies to provide some predictability in schedules, cross-train workers to perform different tasks, or require a minimum guaranteed number of hours in exchange for flexibility could improve the lives of workers holding such jobs. Another problem is that in most states, childcare is affordable for fewer than half of all families. And just 5 percent of workers with wages in the bottom quarter of the wage distribution have jobs that provide them with paid family leave. This circumstance puts many women in the position of having to choose between caring for a sick family member and keeping their jobs.

This possibility should inform our own thinking about policies to make it easier for women and men to combine their family and career aspirations. For instance, improving access to affordable and good quality childcare would appear to fit the bill, as it has been shown to support full-time employment. Recently, there also seems to be some momentum for providing families with paid leave at the time of childbirth. The experience in Europe suggests picking policies that do not narrowly target childbirth, but instead can be used to meet a variety of health and caregiving responsibilities.

The United States faces a number of longer-term economic challenges, including the aging of the population and the low growth rate of productivity. One recent study estimates that increasing the female participation rate to that of men would raise our gross domestic product by 5 percent. Our workplaces and families, as well as women themselves, would benefit from continued progress. However, a number of factors appear to be holding women back, including the difficulty women currently have in trying to combine their careers with other aspects of their lives, including caregiving. In looking to solutions, we should consider improvements to work environments and policies that benefit not only women, but all workers. Pursuing such a strategy would be in keeping with the story of the rise in women’s involvement in the workforce, which has contributed not only to their own well-being but more broadly to the welfare and prosperity of our country.

This essay is a revised version of a speech that Janet Yellen, then chair of the Federal Reserve, delivered on May 5, 2017 at the “125 Years of Women at Brown Conference,” sponsored by Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. Yellen would like to thank Stephanie Aaronson, now vice president and director of Economic Studies at the Brookings Institution, for her assistance in the preparation of the original remarks. Read the full text of the speech here »

About the Author

Janet l. yellen, distinguished fellow in residence – economic studies, the hutchins center on fiscal and monetary policy, more from janet yellen.

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‘Women’s Work’ Can No Longer Be Taken for Granted

New Zealand is pursuing a century-old idea to close the gender pay gap: not equal pay for equal work, but equal pay for work of equal value.

By Anna Louie Sussman

Ms. Sussman is a journalist.

Last week, as Americans were obsessing over the results of the presidential election, a New Zealand law aimed at eliminating pay discrimination against women in female-dominated occupations went into effect . The bill, which takes an approach known as “pay equity,” provides a road map for addressing the seemingly intractable gender pay gap .

Unlike “equal pay” — the concept most often used to address gender pay disparities in the United States — the concept of “pay equity” doesn’t just demand equal pay for women doing the same work as men, in the same positions. Such efforts, while worthwhile, ignore the role of occupational segregation in keeping women’s pay down: There are some jobs done mostly by women and others that are still largely the province of men. The latter are typically better paid.

But if the coronavirus has taught us anything, it is that what has traditionally been women’s work — caring, cleaning, the provision of food — can no longer be taken for granted. “It’s not the bankers and the hedge fund managers and the highest paid people” upon whose services we’ve come to rely, said Amy Ross, former national organizer for New Zealand ’s Public Service Association union. “It’s our supermarket workers, it’s our cleaners, it’s our nurses — and they’re all women!”

It has also taught us how poorly these jobs are compensated. Over half of workers designated essential in the United States are women; their jobs are typically paid well below the median hourly wage of a little over $19 an hour. ( Median hourly pay for cashiers is just $11.37; for child care workers it’s $11.65; health support workers such as home health aides and orderlies make $12.68.)

Instead of “equal pay for equal work,” supporters of pay equity call for “equal pay for work of equal value,” or “comparable worth.” They ask us to consider whether a female-dominated occupation such as nursing home aide, for instance, is really so different from a male-dominated one, such as corrections officer, when both are physically exhausting, emotionally demanding, and stressful — and if not, why is the nursing home aide paid so much less? In the words of New Zealand’s law, the pay scale for women should be “determined by reference to what men would be paid to do the same work abstracting from skills, responsibility, conditions and degrees of effort.”

What is at stake is not just a simple pay raise but a societywide reckoning with the value of “women’s work.” How much do we really think this work is worth? But also: How do we decide?

The idea of pay equity is at least a century old. A 1919 draft of the International Labor Organization’s constitution, which formed part of the Treaty of Versailles, cites “the principle that men and women should receive equal remuneration for work of equal value.” The I.L.O.’s Equal Remuneration Convention, which went into force in 1953, has been ratified by 173 member countries (the United States is one of 14 holdouts). Still, the gender pay gap remains a feature of nearly every economy on earth.

The movement for pay equity gained momentum in North America in the late 1970s and 1980s, when provinces across Canada began passing pay equity laws and several U.S. states with strong labor movements, including Minnesota, Wisconsin and Hawaii, undertook pay equity evaluations for public employees. (As a result, in 1982, clerk typists in Minnesota saw their monthly pay increased by $267, to match that of a delivery van driver, according to the National Committee on Pay Equity’s website .)

But the movement, in the United States at least, lost much of its momentum just a few years later, when a 1985 ruling in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit overturned a judgment by a Federal District Court that would have given female Washington state employees substantial raises based on a pay equity study. Judge Anthony Kennedy, who would later go onto the Supreme Court, wrote the opinion, in which he argued that the Washington state pay equity plan required the state to “eliminate an economic inequality that it did not create,” thus interfering with the free market for labor. With that ruling, alongside other legal setbacks courtesy of conservative judges appointed by President Ronald Reagan, and the broader ascendance of free-market thought, the movement lost its legal leverage. By the early 1990s, the pay equity movement was faltering.

The political and legal campaign for equal pay had preceded the pay equity movement. Pushed by the college-educated women who dominated mainstream feminist groups, and who sought to work alongside men in corporations, universities, and law firms, the equal pay movement was initially less attentive to the concerns of low-wage workers in pink-collar jobs, argues Michael McCann, a University of Washington professor who wrote a 1994 book on pay equity. But after the judicial rulings of the 1980s undercut the comparable worth legal framework, equal pay became the dominant standard for addressing the gender gap in the United States

In 1972, New Zealand passed an equal pay law that could have, in theory, required a pay-equity type of approach: The law included a provision calling for equal compensation for work “exclusively or predominantly performed by female employees” with “the same, or substantially similar, skills, responsibility and service … under the same, or substantially similar, conditions and with the same, or substantially similar, degrees of effort” as work performed by men. But courts, until recently, interpreted the provision narrowly: to mean equal pay for identical work.

Then, in 2012, Kristine Bartlett, a caregiver who had worked for more than 20 years in a home for the aged making barely above minimum wage, filed a claim with the Employment Relations Authority against her employer, TerraNova Homes and Care. TerraNova relied on traditional equal pay logic in its defense, arguing that it paid its four male caregivers the same as its 106 female caregivers.

The claimants asked the court to take a pay equity approach instead and to look more closely at the actual nature of the work. They argued that caring for elderly people was just as demanding and dangerous as better-paid jobs mostly performed by men, including, notably, prison guards. One filing by Ms. Bartlett’s union noted that both jobs require “dealing with challenging behaviors including sexual behaviors and/or aggression.” Arguably, care home workers could be even more at risk, since while corrections facilities are specifically designed to promote maximum security for workers, care homes are not. Before the claim was settled, Ms. Bartlett was earning $15.75 (U.S. $11.20) an hour, 50 cents above the New Zealand minimum wage, for work her union estimated was worth $26 (U.S. $18.50) an hour.

Ms. Bartlett’s claim was settled out of court through a three-way negotiation between union officials, employers and the government in 2017, resulting in pay increases of 15 to 49 percent for 55,000 workers (paid for by the government, which funds elder care in New Zealand through contracts with private firms and NGOs). The outcome sparked a wave of new claims throughout the public sector from other female-dominated occupations, including midwives, social workers and school support staff. The same year, the newly elected Labour government, led by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, set to work: The government would follow through on her party’s campaign promise to amend the 1972 law to finally deliver true pay equity.

In 2015, a 15-member joint working group , made up of union leaders, employer representatives and government officials, had begun meeting to agree on a set of principles for resolving pay equity claims. A 2018 settlement on behalf of around 1,300 state-employed social workers was proof of concept, said Ms. Ross, the lead advocate for those negotiations. It was a chance to show the recommended principles — in particular, that female-dominated occupations should be evaluated in a way as free from bias as possible — could work in practice.

Economics 101 says wages are set by the intersection of a supply curve and a demand curve — if demand for say, data scientists is high, and there aren’t enough of them to fill the available roles, data scientists will have more pricing power over their wages. But in the real world (and, sometimes, in Economics 201), most people recognize that wages encapsulate a host of other factors: monopoly and monopsony (buyer’s monopoly) power, the quirks of a given firm or institution, and, most relevant to pay equity, social beliefs about the relative value of a job. These social beliefs inevitably intersect with biases like racism and sexism, which then manifest in ways both formal and informal.

The 1950s — a time when only around a third of women were in the work force and their earnings were often referred to as “pin money” — saw the rapid rise of job evaluation tools, which were developed decades earlier as a way to analyze and classify jobs within an organization so as to systematize roles and pay scales. One of the most widely used, the Hay method, attempted to capture not tasks, but rather, the various skills, competencies and responsibilities that make up a given job; each of these was then assigned a weight and graded according to a point system. These tools, which are today still commonly used in large firms and in government bureaucracies, were intended to measure and rank the work being done by different employees, from line workers to chief executives, as organizations grew and became more complex.

At the time, given the nature of the economy, these tools largely applied to jobs held by male workers in manufacturing firms, said Ronnie J. Steinberg, a longtime pay equity advocate and professor of sociology emerita at Vanderbilt University. They eventually came to encompass managerial, executive and administrative roles, but the built-in male bias held strong.

Most job evaluation methodologies ignored what the sociologist Arlie Hochschild called “emotional labor” — adjusting one’s feelings in order to competently perform a job — while others, if they measured some aspect of it, often treated it as a proxy for the femaleness of a job, so that jobs with high levels of emotional labor wound up with lower pay.

As a result, an evaluation tool might rate dog pound attendants and parking lot attendants as more highly skilled than nursery schoolteachers, Dr. Steinberg noted. She and others have since developed gender-neutral job evaluation systems, but their implementation still hinges on who is doing the evaluation and what aspects of the work they’re able to recognize and document.

In effect, New Zealand is engaged in a countrywide effort to use these tools to fundamentally rethink the value of the work typically done by women. But where equal pay processes are relatively straightforward, pay equity, when done properly, challenges us to think deeply and objectively about a job and its components. This can be a messy process, one that requires unlearning decades of bias about gender and work, as well as political good will and a spirit of collaboration.

To negotiate the New Zealand social workers’ settlement, for instance, a working group composed of union officials, delegates from the Ministry of Children, social workers and employer representatives undertook a comprehensive assessment process to build a richer understanding of the social worker’s role. In dwelling on parts of the job that are often overlooked — the emotional demands, the problem-solving, the physical danger — many at the table were surprised at its difficulty and complexity. Even articulating the role’s various demands and skills posed a challenge.

“People struggled with the language to describe it, and that speaks to the undervaluation in itself, because we don’t often have the language to really talk about the skills we’re using,” Ms. Ross said. What skills are being deployed to, say, deal with someone who is angry and doesn’t want to be there, and several hours later, with someone who is needy and crying, all while maintaining meaningful boundaries? To describe this capacity to navigate “these emotionally complex situations — how to be both emotionally present but not emotionally enmeshed,” as Ms. Ross put it, the group eventually came up with the term “emotional dexterity.”

Although everyone at the table sought consensus, disagreements arose. The employer advocates, for example, hesitated to classify “listening” as a skill, arguing that anyone can listen; Ms. Ross, herself a former social worker, tried to explain how active listening entails not just hearing, but also picking up on what goes unsaid, the way things are said and what that means in context. When employers were skeptical that the job’s cumulative stresses were severe enough to result in post-traumatic stress disorder, social worker delegates at the table testified about their experience of hearing stories every day about physical or sexual abuse and the treatment they needed for their own emotional distress.

Based on what they had learned about social work, each side came to the table with proposals for comparable male-dominated occupations, but quickly realized they were better off identifying a set of agreed-upon criteria (that these jobs should be at least 66 percent male, have a collective bargaining agreement and also be public sector jobs) to create an initial longlist. This list included several outliers, such as surgeons (who undergo highly specialized training) and park rangers (who face no barrier to entry into the profession), that were quickly tossed out.

What remained were four occupations that all parties agreed were potentially comparable with social workers in different aspects of the work: detectives and family violence constables in the New Zealand Police, engineers employed by the Auckland City Council and air traffic controllers for Airways New Zealand. All of these roles require alertness and focus and therefore rate highly on sensory demands. On the other hand, they vary widely in the degree of physical effort or emotional skills involved (a published analysis of the occupations noted that air traffic controllers, for example, “operate within a highly codified environment,” which reduces the need for interpersonal skills.)

The next step was administering a questionnaire to workers in these occupations. (The questionnaire included sections on problem-solving skills, physical demands, interpersonal skills and emotional demands.) Based on the answers, as well as a range of data, such as health and safety records and professional body requirements, each component of the job was given a point rating, which formed the basis for understanding the skills and responsibilities involved in each role. These, in turn, formed the basis for negotiating the social workers’ pay.

The final settlement included an average 30.6 percent pay increase, phased in over two years. It was, to Ms. Ross’s surprise, a higher figure than the union had historically promoted — and a powerful argument for going through the job evaluation process with the goal of eliminating gender-based undervaluation, rather than targeting a specific pay hike.

The job evaluation process yielded another unexpected benefit. Ms. Ross said many social workers found the analysis of their work “more valuable” than the pay raise itself. Some, on seeing the many skills and competencies they brought to work every day spelled out in a detailed assessment, were moved to tears.

Many, she said, were “seeing themselves as skilled professionals for the first time.”

Unions in New Zealand are currently pursuing over a dozen public sector claims, covering, among others, library assistants, clerical workers and customer-facing roles, which were all prioritized because of their high shares of Maori and Pasifika women and especially low pay.

New Zealand is not the only country taking serious steps toward pay equity. The World Bank’s most recent Women, Business and the Law report notes that since 2017, seven economies have introduced legislation requiring employers to grant equal pay for work of equal value, though they vary in scope and ambition. In December 2018, Canada passed a federal pay equity act , which covers federal public agencies and state-regulated private firms such as banks, airlines and telecommunication firms, and requires firms to proactively implement pay equity plans. In 2017, Iceland passed a law requiring organizations with more than 25 employees to evaluate workers’ pay based on their comparative responsibilities; the results were to be certified by third-party auditors.

Unlike New Zealand’s law, however, which allows claimants to look across nearly the whole of the labor market for male comparators, Canada and Iceland’s laws only require companies to undertake pay equity efforts at the organization or firm level; as a result, they’re inherently limited, since some firms will still be focused primarily on professions dominated by women or those dominated by men.

New Zealand’s more ambitious law is also notable for the buy-in it garnered at the legislative level. Several New Zealanders pointed to the unanimous vote on the pay equity law as an important sign of where the public had moved on the issue. “It wasn’t seen to be politically tenable to oppose equal pay, because that’s just wrong,” said Kerry Davies, national secretary of the New Zealand Public Service Association.

Even so, New Zealand has, so far, been able to take the steps it has because the government pays for these wages. It’s not yet clear when, or whether, these efforts will work their way into the private sector. The vast majority of New Zealand’s businesses are small, with some 95 percent of firms employing fewer than 20 people. Not all of these employers are wealthy, nor are these small firms universally profitable, said Paul Mackay, manager for employment relations policy at BusinessNZ, an advocacy group for New Zealand companies.

But proponents of pay equity say arguments about affordability miss the point. “Employers are not entitled to make even small profits on the backs of underpaid women,” said Linda Hill, a member of the Coalition for Equal Value, Equal Pay, a group of feminists who have worked in different fields on this issue for years. “Businesses that can’t pay fair wages aren’t viable businesses.” Still, especially in the private sector, this money will have to come from somewhere, raising uncomfortable questions about our expectations of cost, value, and worth.

In the United States and elsewhere, it has taken extreme levels of injustice and deprivation, and a once-in-a-lifetime crisis, to expose the emptiness of how different types of work are valued. We are finally beginning to grapple with fundamental questions about what makes a worker truly “essential” — but how far will this grappling actually go?

There are important efforts now underway — the push for a higher minimum wage, say, or more visibility for domestic workers — but they fail to address a deeper problem: The thing that so many of today’s most underpaid and essential workers have in common is simply that they are women. In America, where state support for gender equality has never been less robust, pay equity’s financial obligation will likely fall on individuals. Are we willing to pay more, say, at the grocery store, or to the home health aides who look after our elderly? Are we willing to re-examine the assumptions embedded in what we have been told are “free markets” for labor?

New Zealand’s experience in the coming years will serve as an experiment in what happens when an entire society, led by a feminist prime minister, decides, in effect, to say yes.

Anna Louie Sussman is a journalist who writes on gender and economics. She is working on her first book, about the relationship between capitalism and reproduction. This article was supported by the Economic Hardship Reporting Project .

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Gender equality and women’s empowerment

Related sdgs, achieve gender equality and empower all women ....

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Since its creation 70 years ago, the UN has achieved important results in advancing gender equality, from the establishment of the Commission on the Status of Women - the main global intergovernmental body exclusively dedicated to the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women - through the adoption of various landmark agreements such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

On the occasion of the General Debate of the 66th Session of the General Assembly held in September 2011, United Nations Secretary-General BAN KI-MOON highlighted in his Report “We the Peoples”, the crucial role of gender equality as driver of development progress, recognizing that the potential of women had not been fully realized, owing to, inter alia, persistent social, economic and political inequalities.

Gender inequalities are still deep-rooted in every society. Women suffer from lack of access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage gaps. In many situations, they are denied access to basic education and health care and are victims of violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.

With the aim of better addressing these challenges and to identify a single recognized driver to lead and coordinate UN activities on gender equality issues, UN Women was established in 2010.

UN Women works for the elimination of discrimination against women and girls, empowerment of women, and achievement of equality between women and men as partners and beneficiaries of development, human rights, humanitarian action and peace and security.

The vital role of women and the need for their full and equal participation and leadership in all areas of sustainable development was reaffirmed in the Future We Want (paragraph 236-244), as well as in the Open Working Group Proposal for Sustainable Development Goals. Open Working Group Proposal for Sustainable Development Goals . The proposed Sustainable Development Goal 5 addresses this and reads "Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls".

Spotlight on SDG 8: The impact of marriage and children on labour market participation

This paper is being released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition to being a health crisis unlike any other in recent history, the pandemic is an economic and social crisis. Families—and women within them—are juggling an increase in unpaid care work as well as losses in income and paid...

Spotlight on SDG11: Harsh realities: Marginalized women in cities of the developing world

For women and girls, urbanization is often associated with greater access to education and employment opportunities, lower fertility rates, and increased independence. Yet women are often denied the same benefits and opportunities that cities offer to men. Moreover, women are frequently excluded fro...

Women and Sustainable Development Goals

On 25 September, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as the agreed framework for international development. It is the successor to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). However, unlike the MDGs, the 2030 Agenda presents a much wider scope by del...

Accelerating the Progress Towards the Localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Knowledge Management Strategy for Localizing SDGs at the Multi/Country Level Focus on SDG 5 on Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women and Girls This UN Women ESAR Knowledge Management Strategy serves to collect, disseminate and preserve the region’s intellectual output through diverse mechanis...

Against Wind and Tides: A Review of the Status of Women and Gender Equality in the Arab Region (Beijing +20)

As the international community marks the twentieth anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, an analytical review of both progress and ongoing challenges in the implementation of this agenda for women’s empowerment is important and timely. Taking stock of efforts that have been...

Emerging Issues for Small Island Developing States

The 2012 UNEP Foresight Process on Emerging Global Environmental Issues primarily identified emerging environmental issues and possible solutions on a global scale and perspective. In 2013, UNEP carried out a similar exercise to identify priority emerging environmental issues that are of concern to ...

Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

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Demographic Perspectives on Female Genital Mutilation

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SRH and HIV Linkages Compendium

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The World Survey on the role of women in development 2014: Gender equality and sustainable development

The immense social, economic and environmental consequences of climate change and loss of essential ecosystems are becoming clear. Their effects are already being felt in floods, droughts, and devastated landscapes and livelihoods. Among those most affected are women and girls, given the precariousn...

HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health Programming: Innovative Approaches to Integrated Service Delivery

In light of recent progress towards eliminating paediatric HIV, strong momentum for integrating HIV and sexual and reproductive health (SRH) (including maternal, newborn and child health (MNCH), family planning (FP), and sexually transmitted infection (STI)) programmes, and the recent WHO guidelines...

Adding It Up 2014

Women need sexual and reproductive health services from adolescence through the end of their reproductive years, whether or not they have a birth, and those who give birth need essential care to protect their health and ensure their newborns survive. The declines in maternal and infant deaths in dev...

Session 10: Gender-Responsiveness in Partnerships for the SDGs: consultations, tools, strategies and approaches to overcome barriers towards gender equality

Gender-Responsiveness in Partnerships for the SDGs: consultations, tools, strategies and approaches to overcome barriers towards gender equality Partners: Women's Major Group Center for Migration, Gender, and Justice Mediators Beyond Borders International Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy (C

2022 SDGs Learning, Training and Practice

Please, watch the recordings of all sessions here.   Introduction The United Nations high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) in 2022 will be held from Tuesday 5 July to Thursday 7 July, and from Monday 11 July to Friday 15 July 2022, under the auspices of the Econ

Expert Group Meeting on SDG 5 (Gender equality) and its interlinkages with other SDGs

In preparation for the review of SDG 5 – and its role in advancing sustainable development across the 2030 Agenda, the Division for Sustainable Development Goals of the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA/DSDG), the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Ent

Expert Group Meetings on 2022 HLPF Thematic Review

    The theme of the 2022 high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) is “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The 2022 HLPF will have an

High-level meeting on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women

Beijing+25 (csw 64), symposium on women and water security for peacebuilding in the arab region.

The symposium is organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA), in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UN- ESCWA) and the Pacific Water Research Centre of Simon Frazier University, Vancouver Canada. The symposiu

UN Women for Peace Association - ISIS and its Impact on Women

Khidher Domle, a Yazidi activist, has coordinated rescues of many of these hostages. A professor, journalist, and the head of the Communications Department at the University of Dohuk in Kurdistan, Iraq, Mr. Domle will testify this week before the U.S. Congress. The event will also include an exclus

Roundtable discussion on Women in the Economy in France and in the United Arab Emirates

The event was held as a joint initiative by the French Business Council of Dubai and Northern Emirates and the Dubai Business Women Council. It was organized at UNESCO Headquarters with support from the Delegation of Palau and the Delegation of France. In her intervention, the Director-General hig

Women and Health: Beijing Declaration +20 - 68th World Health Assembly

The World Health Assembly (WHA) featured a 20-year assessment of the state of women’s health and women’s role in health, as well as the need for gender mainstreaming in this sector. UN Women Deputy Executive Director Lakshmi Puri took a lead on a gender-focused panel on “Women and Health: Beijing D

• January 2015 SDG 5 Goal 5 aims at achieving gender equality and empower all women and girls. Its targets include end of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, as well as elimination of harmful practices and the recognition and value of unpaid care and domestic work. Other targets stress the importance of ensuring women's full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership as well as universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights.
• January 2015 Beijing+20 Beijing +20 is committed to renew political will and commitment, revitalize public debate through social mobilization and awareness-raising, strengthen evidence-based knowledge as well as enhance resources to achieve gender equality and women empowerment.
• January 2010 UN Women In the framework of the UN Reform Agenda, the UN General Assembly established UN Women to accelerate the Organization’s goals on gender equality and empowerment of women. UN Women was conceived in order to support inter-governmental bodies in the elaboration of policies, norms and global standards, as well as Member States in the implementation of those standards, the leading and the coordination of the UN System in their work on gender equality.
• January 2000 MDG 3 MDG3 aims at promoting gender equality and empowering women. Its target 3.A focuses on the need to eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education no later than 2015.
• January 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action The Fourth World Conference on Women produced the Beijing Declaration and its Platform of Action, unanimously adopted by 189 countries and considered as the most progressive scheme and road map for advancing women’s rights. As a defining framework for change, the Platform for Action made comprehensive commitments under 12 critical areas of concern, namely, women and poverty, education and training of women, women and health, violence against women, women and armed conflict, women and the economy, women in power and decision-making, institutional mechanism for the advancement of women, human rights of women, women and the media, women and the environment and the girl- child. The conference represented a crucial milestone in the progress of gender equality and empowerment of women.
• January 1994 PoA The 20-year Programme of Action was adopted by 179 countries, on the occasion of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), held in Cairo in 1994 and aimed to provide a new vision of the links between population, development and individual well-being. The Programme recognized the importance of empowerment of women, gender equality as well as reproductive health and rights as issues at the core of any population and development programmes.
• January 1979 CEDAW Often considered as an international bill of rights for women, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), was adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly. It defines what constitutes discrimination against women and sets up an agenda for national action to end such discrimination. According to the Convention, discrimination against women can be defined as "any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field".
• January 1975 World Conf. Int. Women's Year The First World Conference on Women was held in Mexico City in 1975, reuniting 133 governments and designing a World Plan of Action for the Implementation of the Objectives of the International Women’s Year, providing measures and indications for the advancement of women for the upcoming decade. Furthermore, 6000 NGOs Representatives took part to a parallel forum, the Women’s Year Tribute.
• January 1946 CSW Established by the Economic and Social Council with Resolution 11(II), adopted on 21st June 1946, the Commission was first mandated to prepare recommendations and reports to ECOSOC to promote women’s rights in political, economic, social and educational fields, as well as make recommendations on urgent matters requiring immediate attention as well as submit proposals to the Council regarding its terms of references. In 1996, thanks to ECOSOC Resolution 1996/6, its mandate was extended, recognizing to the Commission a leading role in the monitoring and review process of the implementation of the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The gender snapshot 2019

Thematic spotlight

Where women and girls stand against select SDG targets. Click here for more infographics.

Issue brief

Making the SDGs count for women and girls with disabilities

5 Women Empowerment Essays Everybody Should Read

What does “women’s empowerment” mean? It refers to the process of giving women control over their choices and access to the opportunities and resources that allow them to thrive. While there’s been progress, gender inequality remains a persistent issue in the world. Empowering women politically, socially, economically, educationally, and psychologically helps narrow the gap. Here are five essays about women’s empowerment that everyone should read:

Women’s Movements and Feminist Activism (2019)

Amanda Gouws & Azille Coetzee

This editorial from the “Empowering women for gender equity” issue of the journal Agenda explores the issue’s themes. It gives a big picture view of the topics within. The issue is dedicated to women’s movements and activism primarily in South Africa, but also other African countries. New women’s movements focus on engaging with institutional policies and running campaigns for more female representation in government. Some barriers make activism work harder, such as resistance from men and funding, If you’re interested in the whole issue, this editorial provides a great summary of the main points, so you can decide if you want to read further.

Agenda is an African peer-viewed academic journal focusing on feminism. It was established in 1987. It publishes articles and other entries, and tutors young writers.

5 Powerful Ways Women Can Empower Other Women (2020)

Pavitra Raja

Originally published during Women’s History Month, this piece explores five initiatives spearheaded by women in the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship community. Created by women for women, these innovations demonstrate what’s possible when women harness their skills and empower each other. The initiatives featured in this article embrace technology, education, training programs, and more.

Pavitra Raja is the Community Manager for social entrepreneurs in Europe, North America, and Latin America. She’s consulted with the UN Economic Commission for Europe and also has experience in legal affairs and policy in the private and public sectors.

The Key to Improving Women’s Health in Developing Countries (2019)

Because of gender inequality, women’s health is affected around the world. Factors like a lower income than men, more responsibilities at home, and less education impact health. This is most clear in developing countries. How can this be addressed? This essay states that empowerment is the key. When giving authority and control over their own lives, women thrive and contribute more to the world. It’s important that programs seeking to end gender inequality focus on empowerment, and not “rescue.” Treating women like victims is not the answer.

Axa is a leading global insurer, covering more than 100 million customers in 57 countries. On their website, they say they strive for the collective good by working on prevention issues, fighting climate change, and prioritizing protection. The company has existed for over 200 years.

Empowering Women Is Smart Economics (2012)

Ana Revenga and Sudhir Shetty

What are the benefits of women’s empowerment? This article presents the argument that closing gender gaps doesn’t only serve women, it’s good for countries as a whole. Gender equality boosts economic productivity, makes institutions more representative, and makes life better for future generations. This piece gives a good overview of the state of the world (the data is a bit old, but things have not changed significantly) and explores policy implications. It’s based on the World Bank’s World Development Report in 2012 on gender equality and development.

Ana Revenga and Sudhir Shetty both worked at the World Bank at the time this article was originally published. Revenga was the Sector Director of Human Development, Europe and Central Asia. Shetty (who still works at the World Bank in a different role) was the Sector Director, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, East Asia and Pacific.

The Side Of Female Empowerment We Aren’t Talking About Enough (2017)

Tamara Schwarting

In this era of female empowerment, women are being told they can do anything, but can they? It isn’t because women aren’t capable. There just aren’t enough hours in the day. As this article says, women have “more to do but no more time to do it.” The pressure is overwhelming. Is the image of a woman who can “do it all” unrealistic? What can a modern woman do to manage a high-stakes life? This essay digs into some solutions, which include examining expectations and doing self-checks.

Tamara Schwarting is the CEO of 1628 LTD, a co-working community space of independent professionals in Ohio. She’s also an executive-level consultant in supply chain purchasing and business processes. She describes herself as an “urbanist” and has a passion for creative, empowering work environments.

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Essay on Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment

Students are often asked to write an essay on Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment

Understanding gender equality.

Gender equality means that men and women have the same rights and opportunities. It’s like having two different types of fruits, say an apple and an orange, and giving them the same amount of care, sunlight, and water to grow. No one is better than the other; they are just different but equally important.

What is Women’s Empowerment?

Women’s empowerment is about making sure women can make their own choices in life. It’s like teaching someone to ride a bike. Once they learn, they can go anywhere they want, do things on their own, and feel strong.

Education and Jobs

For true gender equality, both boys and girls should go to school and learn. When they grow up, women should have the same chances to get good jobs as men. Think of it as a game where everyone gets a fair turn to play and show their skills.

Leadership Roles

Women should also be leaders, like being the captain of a team or the president of a club. This shows everyone that girls can lead and make important decisions just as well as boys can.

Equality at Home

At home, chores and responsibilities should be shared. It shouldn’t be just the girl or woman doing the cleaning and cooking. It’s like a team sport where everyone plays their part to win the game together.

250 Words Essay on Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment

Gender equality means that men and women have the same rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. It’s like a game where everyone gets a fair chance to play, no matter if they are a boy or a girl. Everyone should be able to go to school, work, and take part in making decisions.

Women’s Empowerment

Women’s empowerment is about giving girls and women the power to make their own choices. It’s like letting them be the captain of their own ship. They can decide what they want to study, where they want to work, and stand up for what they believe is right.

Why It’s Important

When women and men are equal, it’s good for everyone. Women can bring new ideas and skills to the table, which can help solve problems better and make the world a nicer place to live. It’s also fair that everyone gets to chase their dreams and be happy.

Challenges to Overcome

Sadly, not all places have gender equality. Some girls are kept from going to school, and some women are not allowed to work or have to work harder for less money. It’s important to change this so that everyone has the same chances in life.

How to Support Equality

To help, we can make sure that both boys and girls know that they are equal. We can also stand up for our friends if they are being treated unfairly. By working together, we can build a world where everyone is respected and can live the life they choose.

500 Words Essay on Gender Equality And Women’s Empowerment

Gender equality means that men and women have the same rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. It’s like making sure that both your left and right hands get the same chance to do things, no matter if one is stronger or more used to working. Everyone is equal, and no one should be treated unfairly just because they are a boy or a girl.

Women’s empowerment is about giving girls and women the power to make choices for themselves. It’s like letting them decide what clothes to wear or what games to play, instead of someone else telling them what to do. Empowerment helps women to speak up, get a good education, and find jobs that they want to do.

Why Gender Equality is Important

When girls and boys, or women and men, are treated equally, it’s good for everyone. It’s like a team game where every player gets a fair chance to play, making the team stronger. Countries with gender equality are usually happier and wealthier because everyone can work, create new things, and help make decisions.

Challenges in Achieving Gender Equality

Even though many people agree that gender equality is important, it’s not easy to achieve. Some people still think that men should do certain jobs and women others, or that boys should study some subjects and girls others. This is unfair and stops people from reaching their full potential.

Education and Gender Equality

Education is a powerful tool for gender equality. When girls go to school and learn just like boys, they can get better jobs and make better choices for their lives. It’s like giving them a key to a big door that leads to a world of opportunities.

Women in Leadership

Having more women in leadership roles is also important for gender equality. Leaders make big decisions that affect everyone. When women are leaders, they can make sure that the needs and ideas of both women and men are included. It’s like making sure that both sides of a story are heard before deciding what to do.

How to Support Gender Equality

Everyone can help support gender equality. It starts with treating everyone fairly, no matter if they are a boy or a girl. You can also learn about the achievements of women and tell others about them. It’s like cheering for your friends when they do something great.

In the end, gender equality and women’s empowerment are about making sure that everyone, no matter if they are a boy or a girl, has the same chances in life. It’s like a game where the rules are fair for all players, and everyone can win. When we work together to treat everyone equally, we make the world a better place for everyone.

That’s it! I hope the essay helped you.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

• Essay on Gender Equality And Sustainable Development
• Essay on Exciting Cricket Match
• Essay on Gender Discrimination In Workplace

Apart from these, you can look at all the essays by clicking here .

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Progress for women in the workplace stagnating in four key areas, global study reveals

Around 60% of women do not feel able to switch off from their work. Image:  Getty Images

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• A new report looking at women's experiences in the workplace across ten countries suggests there is cause for concern.
• Mental health, unbalanced domestic responsibilities and non-inclusive behaviours are current red flags.
• More organizations must graduate to becoming 'Gender Equality Leaders'.

Despite much talk about the importance of gender equality in the workplace, many women are facing mounting pressures at work and in their personal lives, according to Deloitte’s Women @ Work 2024: A Global Outlook annual report , the fourth in the series.

The report gathers insights from 5,000 women in 10 countries about their views and experiences in the workplace and examines the societal factors that may be impacting their careers.

Across the countries surveyed (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States), a clear trend emerges: Despite widespread cultural and contextual differences, many women around the world are experiencing similar challenges in and out of the workplace. At best, workplace progress when it comes to gender equality appears to be stagnating.

Have you read?

1. stress and long working hours take a toll on mental health.

Half of women say their stress levels are higher than they were a year ago, and a similar number say they’re concerned or very concerned about their mental health. Mental health is among the top concerns for women globally, with an average of 48% of women citing this as their top concern, falling only behind their financial security (51%) and women’s rights (50%). Around half of women do not believe that their employer provides adequate support for their mental health at work.

Amid a number of potential factors behind this concerning picture on mental health is an inability to disconnect from work. Around 60% of women do not feel able to switch off from their work, a trend that holds true across countries. While half of women who typically just work their contracted hours describe their mental health as good, this declines to just 23% for those who regularly work extra hours.

2. Household responsibilities affect women’s careers

Women are feeling the weight of misbalanced caregiving and domestic responsibilities. Notably, 50% of women globally who live with a partner and have children say they take the most responsibility for childcare – up from 46% in 2023, with only 12% saying this falls to their partner. This year also saw a concerning increase in women taking the greatest responsibility for caring for another adult: 57% said they are primarily responsible for this, while only 6% say this falls to their partner. This imbalance continues even for those women who are the primary household earners.

The result of this disproportionate allocation of responsibilities not only makes it more challenging for women professionally but also potentially creates a vicious cycle reinforcing the gender pay gap. Only 27% of women who bear the most significant responsibility at home say they can disconnect from their personal lives and focus on their careers. And many women are prioritizing their partners’ careers over their own, mainly because their partner earns more.

Meanwhile, fewer than half of women feel supported by their employers in balancing their work responsibilities with commitments outside work. Nearly all women (95%) believe that requesting or taking advantage of flexible work opportunities will negatively affect their chances of promotion. Notably, a lack of flexible working hours is among the top reasons women have changed jobs over the past year.

3. Many women experience threats and non-inclusive behaviours at work

Nearly half of the women say they are worried about their personal safety at work or when commuting or travelling for work. Once again, while there are varying degrees of concern among respondents in the countries surveyed, the trend is largely consistent across markets.

These concerns may be founded on actual incidents: One in 10 women who are concerned about their personal safety say they have been harassed while commuting or travelling for work; 16% deal with customers or clients who have harassed them or behaved in a way that has made them feel uncomfortable. Nearly one in 10 have been harassed by a colleague, and a quarter of women say that people in senior positions have made inappropriate comments or actions towards them.

More than four in 10 (43%) survey respondents report having experienced either micro-aggressions or harassment (or both) at work in the past 12 months. Despite this, only one in 10 women think they can make a complaint to their employer about non-inclusive behaviours without affecting their career.

4. More 'Gender Equality Leaders' are needed

As with previous years, our research found a small number of women who work for organizations that enable inclusion, support work/life balance and focus on meaningful career development – we refer to these organizations as the Gender Equality Leaders.

Women who work for these organizations report higher levels of loyalty toward their employer and productivity, feel safer, are more comfortable talking about their mental health at work, and can work flexibly without damaging their careers. However, Gender Equality Leaders remain few and far between: Only 6% of women across all countries surveyed work for these organizations—only a one percentage point increase over last year.

The COVID-19 pandemic and recent social and political unrest have created a profound sense of urgency for companies to actively work to tackle inequity.

The Forum's work on Diversity, Equality, Inclusion and Social Justice is driven by the New Economy and Society Platform, which is focused on building prosperous, inclusive and just economies and societies. In addition to its work on economic growth, revival and transformation, work, wages and job creation, and education, skills and learning, the Platform takes an integrated and holistic approach to diversity, equity, inclusion and social justice, and aims to tackle exclusion, bias and discrimination related to race, gender, ability, sexual orientation and all other forms of human diversity.

The Platform produces data, standards and insights, such as the Global Gender Gap Report and the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 4.0 Toolkit , and drives or supports action initiatives, such as Partnering for Racial Justice in Business , The Valuable 500 – Closing the Disability Inclusion Gap , Hardwiring Gender Parity in the Future of Work , Closing the Gender Gap Country Accelerators , the Partnership for Global LGBTI Equality , the Community of Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officers and the Global Future Council on Equity and Social Justice .

The data from this year’s survey provides insight into the challenges that women face both within and outside the workplace—and it provides data-driven insight into solutions. These can include recognizing the importance of normalizing conversations around mental health in the workplace, understanding and addressing the causes of workplace stress, embedding family-friendly policies and enabling work/life balance, understanding and addressing women’s workplace safety concerns, or addressing non-inclusive behaviours and enabling women to feel able to speak up without concern.

It is clear that now is the time to act if we are to see meaningful and sustained change.

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World Economic Forum articles may be republished in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Public License, and in accordance with our Terms of Use.

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Women’s Work Advantages and Disadvantages Essay

• To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
• As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
• As a template for you assignment

This argumentative essay about women’s work explains all the disadvantages and advantages of being a woman in the workplace. The positive and negative effects of being a working mother are also presented, so you might draw your own conclusion on the issue.

Introduction

• Disadvantages

In today’s world, women take active roles in employment, unlike during the olden days when they stayed at home and took care of their families. Women taking active roles in jobs have advantages and disadvantages. In contemporary society, women and men have equal opportunities for employment.

Working Women Advantages

The advantages of women working include more income for their families, the opportunity to explore their talents, and the promotion of economic growth. When women work, they make money that adds to their families’ financial well-being. This helps pay bills, buy food, and educate children. Women have goals and objectives to achieve in their lives. Working allows them to pursue their dreams and talents, as well as work on their goals by pursuing careers of their choice. Finally, women who work contribute towards economic growth through their jobs.

Women’s Work Disadvantages

Disadvantages for working women include the absence of enough time for their families, pressure from work-related stress, and conflicts of interest. Working women have little time to take care of their families because their jobs are very demanding and time-consuming. Many jobs are very stressful, and many women cannot handle high levels of work-related stress. Their nature predisposes them to anxiety and depression more than when compared to men. Finally, there is a conflict of interests. Their roles as mothers compromise their performance at work. They use working hours to take care of their children at the expense of their jobs.

Today, women seek employment opportunities just like men. This increases income for their families and gives them opportunities to explore their talents by pursuing careers of their choice. However, it affects their families because they do not spend enough time with their children. In addition, their role as mothers has involved my performance at work.

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IvyPanda. (2021, February 26). Women's Work Advantages and Disadvantages Essay. https://ivypanda.com/essays/working-women-advantages-and-disadvantages/

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IvyPanda . "Women's Work Advantages and Disadvantages Essay." February 26, 2021. https://ivypanda.com/essays/working-women-advantages-and-disadvantages/.

• School guide
• Social Science Notes
• History Notes
• Geography Notes
• Political Science Notes
• Economics Notes
• Science and Technology Notes
• Social Science Solutions
• English Grammar
• Science Solution
• Biology Solutions
• Mathematics Solutions
• R.D.Sharma Solutions
• CBSE Class 7 Social Science Notes
• CBSE Class 7 History Revision Notes

Chapter 1: Tracing Changes Through A Thousand Years

• Historians and their Sources

Chapter 2: New Kings and Kingdoms

• Emergence of New Dynasties
• Prashashtis and Land Grants
• Chola Dynasty

Chapter 3: The Delhi Sultans

• Delhi Sultanate

Chapter 4: The Mughal Empire

• Mughal Empire
• Mughal's Relation with Other Rulers
• Akbar Biography- History, Reign and Religious Policy

Chapter 5: Rulers and Buildings

• Why were the temples first targets of the conquerors?
• Gardens, Tombs and Forts

Chapter 6: Towns, Traders, and Craftspersons

• Temple, Towns and Pilgrimage Centre
• Hampi, Masulipatnam and Surat - Architecture, Culture, Trade

Chapter 7: Tribes, Nomads, and Settled Communities

• Who were Tribal People?
• How Nomads and Mobile people lived?
• Gond Tribe of India

Chapter 8: Devotional Paths to the Divine

• Idea of a Supreme God
• Nayanars and Alvars
• Bhakti and Philosophy
• Basavana's Virashaivism
• Who were the great saints of Maharashtra?
• Nathpanthis, Siddhas and Yogis
• Baba Guru Nanak

Chapter 9: The Making of Regional Cultures

• What do you know about the Rajput Tradition of Heroism?
• Beyond Regional Frontiers: The story of Kathak
• Painting for Patrons - The Tradition of Miniatures
• Pirs and Temples

Chapter 10: Eighteenth-Century Political Formations

• Emergence of New States
• Old Mughal Provinces - Hyderabad, Awadh, and Bengal
• Seizing Independence - Sikhs, Marathas, Jats
• CBSE Class 7 Civics Revision Notes

Chapter 1: On Equality

• Universal Adult Franchise
• What are the different types of Equality?
• Recognizing Dignity - On Equality
• Equality in Indian Democracy
• Issues of Equality in Other Democracies
• Challenges of Democracy

Chapter 2: Role of the Government in Health

• Healthcare in India
• Differences between Public and Private Healthcare Facilities
• Kerala Experience of Health Care Services
• What is Costa Rican Approach?

Chapter 3: How the State Government Works

• Who is an MLA?
• Working of the Government in India

Chapter 4: Growing Up as Boys and Girls

• Growing Up In Samoa in the 1920s
• Growing up Male in Madhya Pradesh in 1960s
• Lives of Domestic Workers
• Women's Work and Equality

Chapter 5: Women Change the World

• Fewer Opportunities and Rigid Expectations for Women
• Breaking Gender Stereotypes
• Essay on Women Empowerment
• Steps taken by Government for Women Education
• Feminist Movement
• What is Campaigning?

Chapter 6: Understanding Media

• Media and Technology in Society
• Media and Democracy
• Local Media - Introduction, Importance and Functions
• Agenda Setting Theory - Overview and Features

Chapter 7: Markets Around Us

• What are Weekly Markets?
• Write a brief note on Shopping complexes and Malls
• Market Chain
• Markets Everywhere - Definition, Types, Examples

Chapter 8: A Shirt in The Market

• Discuss the story of a cotton farmer in Kurnool
• Give an account of the cloth market of Erode
• Putting-Out System
• The Garment exporting factory near Delhi
• Who are the Gainers in the Markets?

Chapter 9: Struggles for Equality

• Write a short note on Tawa Matsya Sangh
• CBSE Class 7 Geography Revision Notes

Chapter 1: Environment

• Components of Environment
• Natural Environment
• Components of Ecosystem - Biotic and Abiotic
• What is Human Environment?

Chapter 2: Inside Our Earth

• Interior of the Earth
• Rocks and Minerals

Chapter 3: Our Changing Earth

• Evolution of Landforms
• Occurrence of Earthquake
• Volcano - Definition, Formation, Phases, Types
• Major Landforms of the Earth
• What is the Work of a River?
• Work of Ice - Our Changing Earth
• Work of Sea Waves
• Wind Turbine- How it Works?

Chapter 4: Air

• Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere
• Composition of Earth's Atmosphere
• Weather and Climate
• Temperature, Humidity, Air Pressure, and Wind
• Global Warming

Chapter 5: Water

• Water Distribution on Earth
• Ocean Circulation
• What is a Wave? Definition, Causes, Properties, Examples
• Tides - Definition, Occurrence, Significance, Examples
• Ocean Currents - Introduction, Causes, Types, Factors Affecting

Chapter 6: Natural Vegetation and Wild Life

• Forests - Definition, Ecosystem, Types, Importance
• Natural Vegetation in India
• Tropical Evergreen Forests
• Deciduous Forest- Meaning, Location and Facts
• Temperate Evergreen Forests
• Temperate Deciduous Forests
• Mediterranean Vegetation
• Coniferous Forests - Characteristics, Distribution and Facts
• Grasslands - Definition, Types, Functions, Importance
• Life of People in Temperate Grasslands

Chapter 7: Human Environment- Settlement, Transport, and Communication

• Transport System in India - Railways, Roadways, Airways and Waterways
• Roadways - Purpose, Importance, Types, Challenges
• Indian Railways - History, Establishment, Distribution, Challenges
• Water Transport in India

Chapter 8: Human-Environment Interactions: The Tropical and Subtropical Region

• Amazon River
• Rainforests - Definition, Types, Characteristics, Features
• Life in Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin
• Formation of Lakes

Chapter 9: Life in the Deserts

• The Hot Desert - Sahara
• Sahara Desert
• Cold Desert in India

Women’s Work and Equality

One’s identity is greatly influenced by whether or not one becomes a boy or a girl. The culture in which we are raised teaches us what other types of conduct are appropriate for boys and girls as well as what boys and girls may and cannot do. We have been trained to think that these things apply to all people. In addition, we’ll discuss how the diverse responsibilities given to boys and girls help them prepare for their future roles as men and women. We will learn that most cultures place unique values on men and women. In comparison to men’s duties and efforts, women’s roles and labor are frequently devalued.

Women’s work and equality

Being male or female should not be a basis for discrimination, according to the crucial constitutional value of equality. Despite the fact that the Constitution prohibits discrimination between men and women, still, it occurs. In order to assist women in finding outside-the-home jobs, the government has also established nursery facilities. To increase the position of women in society, the government has implemented programs like Anganwadis or Child Care Centers.

As we’ve seen, it’s not just one person or one family that places little importance on women’s jobs in the home and providing for others. The inequality between men and women is an aspect of a larger system. Therefore, it needs to be discussed through activities that involve not only the individual or family level but also the level of the government. Equality is a fundamental constitutional value, as we now realize.

In fact, there is gender inequality. As a result, the government is dedicated to understanding the causes of this and acting to improve the situation. For example, it understands that women and girls are burdened with household duties and child care.

The government implemented rules requiring care facilities from organizations with more than 30 female employees. The availability of childcare centers helps many women who choose to work outside the house. Additionally, it enables more girls to attend school.

FAQs on Women’s Work and Equality

Q 1. how does the government implement programs for women in society.

Being male or female should not be a basis for discrimination, according to the crucial constitutional value of equality. Despite the fact that the constitution prohibits discrimination between men and women, still it occurs. . In order to assist women in finding outside-the-home jobs, the government has also established nursery facilities. To increase the position of women in society, the government has implemented programs like Anganwadis or Child Care Centers.

Q 2. How can the topic say Equality is a fundamental constitutional value?

As we’ve seen, it’s not just one person or one family that places little importance on women’s jobs in the home and providing for others. The inequality between men and women is an aspect of a larger system. Therefore, it needs to be discussed by activities that involve not only the individual or family level but also the level of the government. Equality is a fundamental constitutional value, as we now realize.

Q 3. In what way government implements rules for women?

The government implemented rules requiring care facilities from organizations with more than 30 female employees. Many women who choose to work outside the house are helped by the availability of childcare centers. Additionally, it enables more girls to attend school.

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Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Belonging

Empowering women in the workplace: strategies for supporting female employees.

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Over the past few years, there has been notable advancement in promoting gender equality in the workforce, but women continue to encounter obstacles in career progression. 

Women at work continue to face challenges such as pay disparity, limited presence in senior roles, and bias. In a society that values variety and acceptance, supporting women in the workforce is both a moral imperative and a strategic decision for businesses. By creating a supportive atmosphere for women, companies enable them to reach their potential, resulting in higher levels of creativity, efficiency, and financial success. 

This blog examines four main approaches that individuals and organizations can adopt to help women succeed in the workplace, creating a supportive environment for their growth and success. Let’s understand how to support women at work.

4 Ways to Support Women at Work

Understanding how to support women at work is the first step in establishing a workplace that is more fair and inclusive. Recognition and intentional efforts are needed to address these challenges and promote gender equality to create a more inclusive workplace culture. 

Below are four distinct methods for addressing female workplace issues:

Creating a Safe and Inclusive Environment

When we talk about ‘creating a safe work environment for women,’ we mean allowing them complete freedom to express their thoughts and concerns without fear of humiliation or reprisal. It also involves safeguarding against harassment , ensuring there are no repercussions for reporting issues, offering clear paths for career growth, and providing opportunities for professional development to address the lack of advancement opportunities for women. 

To cultivate a safe and supportive environment for women at work, consider the following:

1. Adopt clear anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies

Actions that are considered discriminatory and offensive must be laid out clearly, and there should be multiple options for reporting such incidents. Moreover, provide frequent training sessions to inform employees about these policies and confirm their comprehension of their rights and duties in establishing a secure work environment. 

By promoting a culture of respect and inclusivity, companies can tackle the issues brought up by women and establish a more favorable work environment for all staff members.

Also read: Which HR Roles are Most Likely to Be Replaced by AI?

2. conduct diversity and inclusion training programs.

Organizations should welcome and celebrate diversity instead of imposing it on others. Diversity and inclusion training can help employees identify unconscious biases and understand the value of honoring diverse viewpoints and backgrounds.

3. Offer bystander intervention training

Being a mook in an atmosphere where harassment or discrimination is taking place might make things worse at work. Workers who undergo bystander intervention training are better prepared to intervene and address inappropriate behavior they witness, improving the overall safety and positivity of the workplace environment for women at work. 

Employers must thus provide employees with the necessary resources to identify and address discriminatory behavior or microaggressions as they occur.

Promoting Work-life Balance

Work-life balance is a much-talked-about issue but less addressed. But why is having flexible work alternatives more crucial for women? Women are typically the ones who provide the majority of caregiving duties, and they can gain a lot from them. 

To retain brilliant female employees and increase job happiness , it is imperative to assist women in striking a balance between their home and professional lives. 

To achieve a work-life balance for women at work, consider the following:

1. Offer flexible work arrangements

Technology has revolutionized the work culture, making it easier for employees to work remotely or adjust their schedules to accommodate their personal lives better. This technology can be very well utilized by women who are juggling caregiving responsibilities. 

Provide options such as remote work , flexible hours, compressed workweeks , part-time work, job sharing, sabbaticals, annualized hours, etc., to accommodate diverse needs and responsibilities.

2. Encourage employees to disconnect

Constant connectivity to work can blur the boundaries between professional and personal life, making it difficult for women to fully engage with their families, hobbies, and personal interests. 

Encouraging employees to disconnect helps them establish clearer boundaries, allowing for a better balance between work and personal life. Contrary to the belief that constant availability leads to increased productivity, taking regular breaks and disconnecting from work can actually improve productivity and efficiency. 

According to a survey, Americans value work-life balance (63%) more than a high-paying salary (27%). Women who are encouraged to disconnect return to work with renewed energy and focus, leading to higher-quality output in less time. This can help them tap their full potential and foster a more positive work environment overall.

Also read: Insights for HR: How to Support HR Teams Through Downsizing Challenges

3. endorse parental leave policies and childcare options.

Offering support to working parents can reduce pressure and enable staff to concentrate on their tasks during working hours. Parental leave policies and affordable, high-quality childcare services ease the workload for working parents. 

Additionally, companies can also provide on-site childcare or partner with local daycare institutions. When childcare options are accessible, parents are less likely to be absent from work, leading to fewer unscheduled absences and productivity interruptions. 

Accessible childcare services help promote gender equality by reducing the unequal share of childcare duties typically carried out by women. This can help create a fairer work environment and enhance the chances for women to progress in their careers.

Championing Women’s Advancement

It is crucial to support and invest in women to facilitate their advancement in professional endeavors. Research conducted by Catalyst revealed that companies with larger proportions of women holding leadership positions generally experience superior economic results compared to those with fewer female executives. 

To champion women’s advancement:

1. Establish mentorship and sponsorship programs

Mentorship helps women manage the workplace’s complex dynamics, which may include the company culture , politics, and nonverbal regulations. Having a mentor who shares their own experiences can offer women useful advice on how to thrive in their chosen industry. 

A helpful mentor can boost women’s self-esteem and belief in their talents, particularly in fields dominated by men or where women frequently feel like frauds or lack confidence. Mentors encourage women to take on new challenges and achieve ambitious goals by providing comfort, affirmation, and perspective. Mentorship can also help build professional networks, promote work-life balance, and advance diversity and inclusion efforts.

2. Offer leadership development programs tailored to women’s needs

Encouraging women to pursue and achieve leadership roles is essential for gender equality and the general prosperity of businesses and society. This is primarily because it fosters greater innovation, better judgment, and improved financial results. 

Nonetheless, it is imperative that businesses provide specialized leadership development courses that highlight the unique challenges and barriers faced by women in the workplace. Provide instruction in assertiveness, work-life balance, imposter syndrome , and negotiation techniques to help women overcome barriers in industries where males predominate. 

These programs help women become more confident, acquire the necessary skills, and navigate leadership roles with success.

Also read: Careers Spotlight: What Is an HR Generalist?

3. highlight and celebrate women’s achievements.

Appreciation and recognition of women’s achievements in the workplace motivate others and perpetuate a culture of appreciation and recognition. This can contribute to bridging the gap by removing barriers or stereotypes that may deny them a chance to advance in their careers. 

Women are more likely to pursue their goals and dreams if their efforts and success are rewarded and acknowledged.

4. Encourage self-nomination

Support the nomination of women in leadership opportunities and initiatives, which builds their confidence and visibility within the organization. Organizations may assist women in reaching their potential by creating an environment that supports their goals and gives them the confidence to try new things. Encourage women to actively seek out advancement opportunities and provide them with the tools and support to do so.

Also Read: This Study Says That You Should Hire More Female Leaders

Building Allyship

Men can play an important role in helping women progress in their careers by dismantling structural obstacles and promoting an equitable workplace. They may use their favorable position to enhance and magnify women’s accomplishments. Here’s how:

1. Speak up against gender bias and discrimination

Address stereotypes and prejudices promptly whenever they arise, whether during recruitment, assessments, or daily interactions. Dealing with and resolving issues or injustices quickly increases the chances of eliminating them and preventing their recurrence.

2. Amplify women’s voices

A few ways to amplify the voice of women at work are by providing forums for women to participate in meetings, conversations, and decision-making. Furthermore, listening to their ideas can help ensure that women’s opinions are valued and taken into consideration in the decision-making process.

3. Hold each other accountable

Accountability within organizations can be a powerful enabler of women’s career advancement since it fosters transparency and equity, which promote meritocracy. Accountability by individuals of all genders ensures fair opportunities for growth and career advancement and is performance-based rather than bias-based. 

This level playing field not only allows women to showcase their skills and capabilities but also empowers them to confidently pursue leadership roles, knowing their contributions will be recognized and fairly rewarded. In addition, in a culture of accountability, inclusivity, and diversity are encouraged, which means women find it easier to make use of mentorship, sponsorship, and networking opportunities for career growth. 

As a result, through accountability systems, organizations can actively support and propel women toward fulfilling their professional aspirations, thereby greatly contributing to closing the gap in gender parity in leadership roles.

Also read: Essential Skills Every HR Professional Should Master

Supporting women in the workplace is not just about fairness; it is a crucial strategy for companies looking to grow. It is the secret to succeeding in the current varied and fast-paced business environment. Companies can unleash the true potential of women at work and bridge the gap created by discrimination and gender bias. Gender equality helps in achieving long-lasting success by establishing safe and inclusive spaces, supporting work-life balance, empowering women’s progress, and fostering allyship.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can organizations address gender bias in recruitment, ensuring a fair and unbiased hiring process.

Organizations can implement blind recruitment techniques, such as removing candidate names and other identifying information from applications, to focus solely on qualifications. Diverse hiring panels, comprising individuals from different backgrounds and experiences, can also help mitigate bias by providing varied perspectives. 

How can businesses effectively support women returning from maternity leave to ensure a smooth transition back to work?

Businesses can support women returning from maternity leave by offering flexible work arrangements, such as telecommuting or flexible hours, to accommodate their transition back into the workforce. Providing a phased return-to-work program allows for a gradual reintegration, easing the workload and stress. 

What strategies can companies implement to proactively ensure pay equity for women and create a more inclusive workplace?

Companies can proactively ensure pay equity for women by conducting regular pay audits to identify any discrepancies in compensation. Adjusting these discrepancies promptly and maintaining transparent salary structures help ensure that women are paid equally for equal work, regardless of gender. Clear communication about pay policies and opportunities for advancement can also contribute to a more equitable and inclusive workplace culture.

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Kylee Stone supports the professional services team as a CX intern and psychology SME. She leverages her innate creativity with extensive background in psychology to support client experience and organizational functions. Kylee is completing her master’s degree in Industrial-Organizational psychology at the University of Missouri Science and Technology emphasizing in Applied workplace psychology and Statistical Methods.

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Melinda French Gates Announces $1B Commitment to Advance Women’s Power Globally

Today, Melinda French Gates announced that as the first step in the next chapter of her philanthropy she is committing an additional $1 billion through 2026 to advance women’s power globally.

With the rollback of women’s rights and headwinds to social progress in the U.S. and around the world, Melinda believes that now is the time to provide urgent capital to people and organizations fighting to protect and further equality and remove the barriers that hold women back. This includes investing in the health and well-being of women and families, in line with her belief that health is a critical lever in enabling women to have their full power in society. 

This $1B commitment will include the following grants made by Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation:

$200 million

in grants aimed at supercharging the work of organizations that are fighting in the U.S. to advance women’s power and protect their rights, including reproductive freedom. These grants will be structured to provide flexible funding to spend as organizations see fit.

$240 million

devoted to partnerships with a diverse group of 12 global leaders. Each leader will be provided with a $20 million fund to distribute to charitable organizations they consider to be doing urgent, impactful, and innovative work to improve women’s health and well-being in the U.S. and around the world.

$250 million

to be awarded through an open call, launching later this fall, with Lever for Change to identify organizations working to improve women’s mental and physical health worldwide.

"For too long, a lack of money has forced  organizations  fighting for women's rights into a defensive posture while the enemies of progress play offense. I want to help even the match."

This new commitment includes the following organizations and individuals.

Supercharging the work of organizations, center for reproductive rights.

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global human rights organization of lawyers and advocates fighting for reproductive freedom around the world. For over 30 years, the Center has played a critical role in securing victories for abortion, contraception, maternal health and more within the halls of the U.S. Congress, before national and international courts, and at the United Nations. The Center’s goal is a world where reproductive rights are treated as fundamental human rights.

Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity

The Collaborative for Gender + Reproductive Equity provides funding to unite advocates across issue silos, defend gender, reproductive, and racial equity, and work towards a future where every person has the resources and autonomy to thrive.

Collective Future Fund

The Collective Future Fund is an intermediary feminist fund that brings together social justice movements, survivors, and donors to heal, resource, and mobilize toward a future free from violence.

Community Change

Community Change is a national organization that builds the power of low-income people, especially people of color, to fight for a society where everyone can thrive.

Institute for Women's Policy Research

The Institute for Women's Policy Research is a national think tank with a mission to win economic equity for all women and eliminate barriers to their full participation in society. It builds evidence to shape policies that grow women’s power and influence, close inequality gaps, and improve the economic well-being of families.

MomsRising Education Fund

MomsRising Education Fund is a nonpartisan public charity that is part of the MomsRising movement, a grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to achieve economic security for all moms, women, and families in the United States.

Ms. Foundation for Women

The Ms. Foundation for Women is a nonprofit organization that builds women’s collective power in the U.S. by investing in, and strengthening, the capacity of women-led movements to advance meaningful social, cultural, and economic change.

National Domestic Workers Alliance

The National Domestic Workers Alliance works for the respect, recognition, and rights for more than 2.2 million nannies, housecleaners, and home care workers who do the essential work of caring for our loved ones and our homes.

National Partnership for Women & Families

The National Partnership for Women & Families is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to make life better for women and families. It advocates for health and economic justice, reproductive rights, and policies that support women and families in the 21st century.

National Women's Law Center

The National Women's Law Center fights for gender justice—in the courts, in public policy, and in society. It uses the law in all its forms to change culture and drive solutions to the gender inequity that shapes our society and to break down the barriers that harm all of us—especially women of color, LGBTQ people, and low-income women and families.

New America

New America is a think and action tank dedicated to renewing the promise of America in an age of rapid technological and social change. Its work prioritizes care and family well-being, advances technology in the public interest, reimagines global cooperation, builds effective democracy, and ensures affordable and accessible education for all.

The 19th is an independent, nonprofit newsroom reporting on gender, politics, and policy. Its goal is to empower women and LGBTQ+ people—particularly those from underrepresented communities—with the information, resources, and tools they need to be equal participants in our democracy.

Roosevelt Institute

The Roosevelt Institute advances ideas that rebalance power in our economy and democracy, and invests in leaders and experts to create a more equitable, high-care, and low-carbon future.

States United Democracy Center

The States United Democracy Center is a nonpartisan organization advancing free, fair, and secure elections. It connects state and local officials, law enforcement leaders, and pro-democracy partners across America with the tools and expertise they need to safeguard democracy.

TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund  

Housed in and administered by the National Women's Law Center, the TIME’S UP Legal Defense Fund connects people facing workplace sex harassment and related retaliation with legal and PR assistance.

Washington Center for Equitable Growth

The Washington Center for Equitable Growth is a nonprofit research and grantmaking organization dedicated to advancing evidence-backed ideas and policies that promote strong, stable, and broad-based economic growth. 

Partnering with a Diverse Group of Global Leaders

Dr. alfiee breland-noble.

Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble is a pioneering psychologist, scientist, author, founder, and expert devoted to mental health and suicide prevention in intersectional youth and young adults of color, including LGBTQ+ youth and those with disabilities. She is the founder of The AAKOMA Project.

Allyson Felix

Allyson Felix is one of the most decorated Olympic athletes of all time and an advocate for Black maternal health, pay equity, and pregnancy protections. She is also the founder of the women’s specific footwear company Saysh.

Ava DuVernay

Ava DuVernay is an award-winning filmmaker whose groundbreaking work aims to advance equity and social justice by telling stories that change hearts and minds. She is the founder of ARRAY, a multi-platform arts and social impact collective.

Crystal Echo Hawk

Crystal Echo Hawk is a leader and advocate working to advance contemporary stories of Native Americans in an effort to shift public perception and increase support for Native peoples and issues. She is the founder and CEO of IllumiNative.

Gary Barker

Gary Barker works to promote gender equality and create a world free from violence by engaging men and boys in partnership with women, girls, and individuals of all gender identities. He is the CEO and founder of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice.

Hauwa Ojeifo

Hauwa Ojeifo started a movement that gives mental health a voice in Nigeria, enabling those with mental health conditions to tell their own stories, co-create solutions, and advocate for their own rights. She is the founder of She Writes Woman.

Jacinda Ardern

Jacinda Ardern is the former prime minister of New Zealand who has shown the world how leading with compassion can drive impact. She is a passionate advocate for climate action and a fierce champion for women, including through her continued leadership of the Christchurch Call.

Leymah Roberta Gbowee

Leymah Roberta Gbowee, 2011 Nobel Peace Laureate, is a Liberian peace activist, trained social worker, and women’s rights advocate. An award-winning global thought leader for peace and social justice, she is the founder and president of the Gbowee Peace Foundation Africa and the executive director of the Institute on Gender, Law, and Transformative Peace at the City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law.

M. V. Lee Badgett

M. V. Lee Badgett is an economist focusing on economic and social inequality for LGBTI people. Her research explores strategies for improving people’s lives and livelihoods, along with building ideas for the global advancement of LGBTI economic power. She is a founding partner of Koppa: The LGBTI+ Economic Power Lab.

Richard V. Reeves

Richard V. Reeves is a scholar working toward gender equality for all by raising awareness of the problems faced by boys and men today. He is the founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men.

Sabrina Habib

Sabrina Habib   works to improve access to quality, affordable early childhood care in East Africa’s low-income communities. She is co-founder and CEO of Kidogo.

Shabana Basij-Rasikh

Shabana Basij-Rasikh   has dedicated her entire life to ensuring Afghan girls’ access to education. She is the co-founder of the School of Leadership Afghanistan.

READ MELINDA'S OP-ED IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

About pivotal.

Since Melinda French Gates founded Pivotal in 2015, we have used different kinds of funding to achieve our mission to advance social progress, including venture capital investments, philanthropic grantmaking, advocacy funding, and partnerships. In 2022, Melinda formed Pivotal Philanthropies Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to support philanthropic grantmaking and help enable this flexible approach to driving impact.

UN Women Executive Board makes landmark field visit to Moldova and Ukraine

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The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has disproportionately affected women and girls , exacerbating pre-existing inequalities and exposing them to heightened risks of gender-based violence, economic instability, and displacement. Russia’s full-scale invasion has not only disrupted their lives but placed an immense burden on women and girls.

Panama Ambassador and President of the UN Women Executive Board Markova Concepción Jaramillo, accompanied by the ambassadors of Sweden and Côte d'Ivoire, and representatives from Poland, conducted a landmark visit to Moldova, Ukraine, and Poland from 14 to 24 May 2024, to strengthen partnerships and advance gender equality amidst the challenging context of the region. The Executive Board is the governing body responsible for providing intergovernmental support and overseeing the operational activities of UN Women.

In Moldova, the Executive Board engaged with government officials, civil society representatives, local authorities, private sector partners, and beneficiaries, to observe UN Women’s on-the-ground initiatives and their impact firsthand. Meetings emphasized the strategic partnership with UN Women in promoting gender equality and women’s empowerment in Moldova. Discussions also covered women’s economic empowerment, with interactions with more than 30 women entrepreneurs from Moldova’s Ungheni district.

In Ukraine, the mission assessed the repercussions of the armed conflict on women and girls, their needs, and UN Women's support in promoting gender-governance. Discussions with Government Commissioner for Gender Policy Kateryna Levchenko and the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine addressed mechanisms for ensuring gender equality, gender mainstreaming in Ukraine's recovery and European integration efforts, initiatives combatting sexual violence related to the conflict with Russia, and implementation of the National Action Plan 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security.

The Executive Board heard firsthand accounts from beneficiaries of UN Women-led programmes promoting women's empowerment and entrepreneurship, as well as residents of Borodyanka and Bucha, areas formerly occupied by Russian forces. 

• Executive Board
• UN Women administration

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