Toward Gender Equality: We Must Change the Working Mindset
As leaders in the global economy and the battle for equal rights, the European Union and the United States of America must recognize the necessity of working together in combating the very real problem of gender inequality in the workplace. But before we can change the working trend, we must first change the working mindset.
The gender gap looms omnipresent on both sides of the Atlantic. In both the EU and U.S., fewer women are employed than men — be it full-time employment, part-time employment, or self-employment. This directly corresponds to women seeing a higher risk of poverty than men. And for women who do hold steady occupations, continuous disparities in pay and pensions still restrict them from ascending to higher positions and higher salaries.
Closing the gender gap is first and foremost an issue of equal rights. But it is also in our financial interest as well. In 2015, the McKinsey Global Institute released a powerful report estimating that a worldwide leveling of the gender gap could add as much as $12 trillion to the global economy in just one decade. Equality means business.
Yet the method for achieving this parity is not found in simply creating more jobs and hiring more women. The problem runs far deeper. To get to where we want to be as leaders in economy and equality, the European Union and the United States must first focus on addressing the systemic prejudice that plagues our places of employment. Favoritism of men over women is everywhere in European and American businesses, from maternity-related discrimination in hiring choices to structural barriers that make it easier for a man than a woman to start their own business.
Both the EU and the US are committed to changing this reality, and have recently taken steps forward in doing so. The EU just launched a flagship €6 million initiative, working with UN Women and the International Labor Organization, to support women’s economic empowerment in G7 countries. By convening policymakers, the private sector, and civil society, this initiative will help implement the G7’s “Roadmap for a Gender-Responsive Economic Environment” through increasing networking opportunities for women entrepreneurs, creating better linkages between companies and higher education institutions, and ensuring heightened anti-discrimination measures. Meanwhile, the United States partnered with the UN Women and the World Bank in 2012 to launch the Equal Futures Partnership, an endeavour that has now grown to 29 governments and the European Union. These, along with the EU’s upcoming Gender Action Plan, will hopefully allow us to continue to expose patriarchal favoritism and thus make progress in making workplace equality a reality.
Changing a societal mindset can take generations. This is a long-term endeavor, and because of this, young women are at the heart of our efforts. As our cultures approach the so-called “fourth industrial revolution” (the digital revolution), the way we work is changing at an unprecedented pace. Developments in global connectivity, technological services, the emergence of scaled robotics, and Artificial Intelligence will radically reshape many sectors of our economies. We need to ensure that future generations are adequately equipped to thrive in this environment — and in this preparation, we must eliminate any and all discrimination against women.
We often see that where the United States and Europe lead, others will follow. On this International Women’s Day, I am confident that reducing the gender gap is no different. If we can continue to change the workforce mindset and dismantle male-favoritism, we can inspire and bring about change not just in our own countries but in the broader world, leading to increased economic growth and better societies for us all.
