Pandemic Delays Gender Parity By A Generation: WEF
Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published March 31, 2021 | 08:40 AM
Geneva, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 31st Mar, 2021 ) :The pandemic has rolled back years of progress towards equality between men and women, according to a report released Wednesday showing the crisis had added decades to the trajectory towards closing the gender gap.
A range of studies have shown that the Covid-19 pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on women, who have lost jobs at a higher rate than men, and had to take on much more of the extra childcare burden when schools closed.
The effects will be felt in the long-term, according to the World Economic Forum, which in its annual Global Gender Gap Report found that the goalposts for gender parity appeared to be moving further away.
The organisation, which usually gathers the global elite in the plush Swiss ski resort of Davos each year, had found in its previous report, published in December 2019 right before the pandemic hit, that gender parity across a range of areas would be reached within 99.5 years.
But this year's report shows the world is not on track to close the gender gap for another 135.6 years.
"Another generation of women will have to wait for gender parity," the WEF said in a statement.
The Geneva-based organisation's annual report tracks disparities between the sexes in 156 countries across four areas: education, health, economic opportunity and political empowerment.
- Workplace equality in 267 years - On the plus side, women appear to be gradually closing the gender gap in areas such as health and education.
But inequality in the workplace -- which has long appeared to be the stickiest area to fix -- is still not expected to be erased for another 267.6 years.
And the pandemic has not helped.
The WEF pointed to a study by the UN's International Labour Organization showing that women were more likely to lose their jobs in the crisis, in part because they are disproportionately represented in sectors directly disrupted by lockdowns.
Other surveys have shown that women were carrying a greater share of the burden of increased housework and childcare during lockdowns, contributing to higher stress and lower productivity levels.
Women were also being hired back at a slower rate than men as workplaces opened up again, according to LinkedIn data referenced in the report.
"The pandemic has fundamentally impacted gender equality in both the workplace and the home, rolling back years of progress," WEF managing director Saadia Zahidi said in the statement.
"If we want a dynamic future economy, it is vital for women to be represented in the jobs of tomorrow," she said, stressing that "this is the moment to embed gender parity by design into the recovery." - Political gender gap growing - It was in the political sphere that the march towards gender parity did the biggest about-face, with several large-population countries seeing the political gender gap widen, the WEF study found.
Women still hold just over a quarter of parliamentary seats worldwide, and only 22.6 percent of ministerial positions.
On its current trajectory, the political gender gap is not expected to close completely for another 145.5 years, the report found.
That marks a 50-percent hike from the estimated 95 years in the 2020 report, WEF pointed out.
Progress across the categories varies greatly in different countries and regions.
The report pointed out that while Western European countries could close their overall gender gap in 52.1 years, countries in the middle East and North Africa will take nearly 142.4 years to do so.
Overall, the Nordic countries once again dominated the top of the table: the gap between men and women was narrowest in Iceland, for the 12th year running, followed by Finland and Norway.
New Zealand took fourth place, ahead of Sweden.
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Currency Rate In Pakistan - Dollar, Euro, Pound, Riyal Rates On 9 May 2024
Today Gold Rate in Pakistan 09 May 2024
IHC adjourns PTI founder, Qureshi's appeal till Thursday
CDWP recommends 3 projects to ECNEC for approval
Tarar assures APNS to resolve issues of newspaper industry
Pakistan urged to capitalize on economic stability, for Tobacco Tax Reforms
N. Macedonia polls set to upend ties with EU neighbours
Croatia's ruling party reaches coalition deal with right wing
Bayern coach Tuchel makes three changes for Madrid showdown
Olympic flame arrives on French soil for Paris Games
Punjab Finance Minister announces expansion of Social Protection Authority's man ..
Kenya inks deal to end doctors' strike
More Stories From Miscellaneous
-
Concerted efforts urged to ease traffic flow on city roads
4 days ago -
Land degradation: A threat to food security
4 days ago -
Revamping health sector, a gigantic task ahead
4 days ago -
American band promotes intercultural harmony thru music fusions
5 days ago -
Waste Management – A persistent challenge for MWMC
6 days ago -
Experts for ending child labour
8 days ago
-
Labour Day - A reminder for better facilities to workers
8 days ago -
Stage Drama Mohabati Manhoon presents in Arts council Larkana
11 days ago -
Wheat farmers in a fix on price, procurement mechanism
11 days ago -
Modern tools to help transform crime investigation procedures
11 days ago -
Sanam Marvi captivates audience with mesmerizing performance
12 days ago -
Modern Education Techniques: A pathway to achieve economic development
13 days ago