Women, wearing face masks to curb the spread of COVID-19, show banners and shout slogans during a demonstration in front of the Minister of Economy and Finance, to mark the International Women's Day, in Rome, March 8, 2021. (PHOTO / AP)
The time it will take the world to achieve gender equality has increased from 99.5 years to more than 135 years because of the toll inflicted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021 said.
Examining 156 countries, the report found that despite progress in education and health, women are confronted by economic hurdles, declining political participation and workplace challenges.
The pandemic has worsened the situation, and the report noted that progress toward gender equality is stalling partly due to women being more frequently employed in sectors hardest hit by lockdowns, such as the consumer sector, combined with the pressure of providing care at home.
"The pandemic has fundamentally impacted gender equality in both the workplace and the home, rolling back years of progress. If we want a dynamic future economy, it is vital for women to be represented in the jobs of tomorrow," said Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the World Economic Forum. "Now, more than ever, it is crucial to focus leadership attention, commit to firm targets and mobilize resources. This is the moment to embed gender parity by design into the recovery."
The pandemic has fundamentally impacted gender equality in both the workplace and the home, rolling back years of progress. If we want a dynamic future economy, it is vital for women to be represented in the jobs of tomorrow.
Saadia Zahidi, Managing director of the World Economic Forum
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The report said Iceland remains the world's most gender-equal country, followed by Finland, Norway, New Zealand, and Sweden.
The five most improved countries in the overall index in 2021 are Lithuania, Serbia, Timor-Leste, Togo, and the United Arab Emirates.
In Asia, Japan ranked 120th among the 156 countries, remaining in last place among the world's most advanced economies. The Philippines is the region's best-performing country at 17th.
Underrepresented
Worldwide, women only hold 26.1 percent of parliamentary seats and 22.6 percent of ministerial positions, the report said.
As the job market recovers from the effects of the pandemic, LinkedIn data shows women are being hired at a slower rate in multiple industries.
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"Women aren't well represented in the majority of fast-growing roles, which means we are storing up even bigger gender representation problems as we emerge from the pandemic," said Sue Duke, head of Global Public Policy at LinkedIn.
"These roles play a significant part in shaping all aspects of technology and how it is deployed in the world. We simply have to have women's voices and perspectives represented at this foundational stage, especially as digitization is accelerating," she added.
