Economy
There’s a 250-Year Wait for the Economic Gender Gap to Close
(Bloomberg) –If you’re a woman wondering how long you’ll have to wait for the same economic opportunities as your male counterparts, the answer could be more than two and half centuries, according to the World Economic Forum.
The economic gender gap will take 257 years to close, the WEF said, even more than the 202 years it predicted in 2018. Technological change is having a disproportionate effect, with women more highly represented in roles hit hardest by automation such as retail. What’s more, not enough are entering professions where wage growth is fastest, the forum said.
There are also large inequalities in almost all of the fastest-growing job clusters of the future, with fewer female workers in cloud computing, engineering, data and AI, and product development.
“To get to parity in the next decade instead of the next two centuries, we will need to mobilize resources, focus leadership attention and commit to targets,” said Saadia Zahidi, head of the WEF Centre for the New Economy and Society.
Read: Saudi Arabia Ends Gender Segregation in Restaurant Entrances
For its part, the forum has committed to at least double the current percentage of female participants at its annual meeting in Davos by 2030.
The report did contain some positive developments: the global gender gap — which accounts for health, education and politics alongside economics — has improved, thanks largely to a greater number of women in politics. Still, the current trajectory for closing it is almost 100 years.
The WEF does offer some reason for hope for faster progress. In many countries, increased political empowerment corresponds with higher numbers of women in senior roles, indicating there could be a “role model effect” that would help close economic disparities.
Slow Progress
In one sign of that trend, Kuwait appointed Mariam Al-Aqeel as finance minister on Tuesday, making her the first woman in the Gulf region to hold such a post.
(Updates with Kuwait finance minister appointment in final paragraph.)
-
Uncategorized2 months ago
Oman Oil Marketing Company partners with Ihsaan Association to support its activities
-
OER Magazines4 weeks ago
Signature, October 24
-
Alamaliktistaad Magazines4 weeks ago
Al-iktisaad, October 24
-
Commodities2 months ago
Gold Rangebound as Investors Brace for Key US Economic Data
-
Oil & Gas2 months ago
OQEP Appoints United Securities as Liquidity Provider Ahead of Landmark MSX Listing
-
Magazines4 weeks ago
OER, October 24
-
Lifestyle2 months ago
Royal Opera House Muscat Welcomes First Shows of its 2024/25 Season
-
Oman7 days ago
Shell Oman Partners with Oneroad Automotive Gives Away 2 Forthing Cars as Part of its ‘Win Big’ Campaign