According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), India’s GDP can rose up by 9% that will make the total increase of $1 trillion, if the gender gap in Indian workforce will be removed. India is one of the countries, who have the highest gender gap issue in workplace, i.e., women are at 27% whereas men are at 79%. The gender gap is the share between women and men who are either employed or looking for work in comparison to their respective population.
The report ‘World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO): Trends for Women 2017’ is about the gender gap issues that are these days one of the most pressing issues faces by the world in its work field. According to the report, women are less in comparison to men who participate in labour market, and those who are looking for the same are also less than men to find one. The jobs that women get are both of lower quality and lower paid than that of males.
The report says, “less than one in three women in South Asia are active in the labour market (28.6 per cent), representing a female participation rate that is 51 percentage points less than the rate for males. Moreover, this gap that has widened over the last decade more than any other region”
In 2014, G20 leaders created a commitment to reduce this gap by 25% till 2025. The report believes that if the same happens, it will add US$ 5.8 trillion dollars to the global economy. “This could also unlock large potential tax revenues – an important consideration as the region adjusts to ‘new normal’ lower levels of economic growth,” said Richard Horne, economist in the ILO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific and co-author of the report.
Apart from the economic benefits, adding more women will have major effects on the well being. “The obstacles that prevent women from joining the workforce are still too firmly rooted in the region. We need to improve family-friendly work policies and have better care options for women to be able to take part in the labour market,” said Tomoko Nishimoto, ILO Assistant Director-General and Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.
The report says “Over 20 per cent of female respondents in the Asia-Pacific region cited ‘work/family balance’ as a major challenge to labour participation. Worryingly, around 22 per cent of respondents in East Asia – more than any other region – cited ‘lack of affordable care’ as a challenge faced by women.”
In order to improve the situation of women in labors market, it’s important to challenge the social norms and socio-economic restrictions that are holding women back, including discrimination, education, unpaid care work, work-family balance and marital status. Re-shaping the gender role laws will allow improving the equality in labour market condition.
