THEn a global economy that proclaims progress towards gender equality, 1.6 billion women still remain on the edge of the labor market. And if this is already an unsustainable fact, it should be added that of this huge number, as many as 708 million are excluded for a specific reason: responsibilities related to family care and domestic managementa burden that continues to fall in disproportionately on female shoulders.
Women outside the labor market, a global injustice
The data of theOil, the international organization of workpaint an unequivocal picture: out of 748 million people in working age who cannot enter the labor market due to family commitments, 94.6% are women. Only 5.4% (40 million) are men. This monumental disproportion reveals how, despite social progress, The distribution of unpaid work remains deeply unbalanced.
Family care, an obstacle to emancipation
Particularly affected are women in the age group between 25 and 54 years oldthe most productive working age. In this range, 66% of women do not participate in the workforce, precisely because they are engaged in family care activities. The situation aggravates further for women with low schooling And for those who live in rural areas, where access to support services is often limited or non -existent.
Data still unacceptable those concerning the cost of the care work for women (Getty)
An geography of inequality
The phenomenon, globally, presents significant variations according to the geographical areas. Cultural, social and political contexts, of course, greatly influence the differences on female participation in the labor market. Starting from the worst situation, we find Northern Africa that records the negative primacywith 63% of women excluded from the labor market for family liability. Follow the Arab States with 59%, while The Asia-Pacific Region it stands at 52%; in Latin America and in Caribbean The percentage is 47%, while i North American countries They show lower rates, with 19%. Europe And Central Asia record an average of 21% e Eastern Europe It emerges how the area with the lowest percentage worldwide, 11%.
The structural roots of inequality
What, however, clearly emerges from the analysis of Oil, It is the profoundly structural nature of the problem. While Men remain outside the labor market mainly for personal reasons, study paths or health problems, for women the main obstacle remains unchanged: the care of the family and domestic management. A load that includes the education of children, assistance to non -self -sufficient elderly, support to people with disabilities and the daily management of the house. All essential tasks for society, but practically never recognized at an economic level.
What would be needed
To deal with this persistent gap, therefore, the declarations of principle are certainly not enough. If anything, they are needed concrete interventions on several fronts: Starting from greater investments in services accessible for childhood and assistance to the elderly, creating better parental leave policies, which encourage a more equitable participation of men in family care. By increasing work flexibilityto allow you to reconcile professional and family liability. And finally, certainly not because less important, indeed, produce a definitive profound cultural change which redefines gender roles in society.
Women out of work: towards a fairer future
Only through an integrated approach, in fact, supports the Oil, will it be possible guarantee women really equal access to economic opportunities and financial independenceallowing them to fully express their potential in the labor market. The current disparity, in fact, does not represent only an injustice for the women involved, but much more a huge waste of talent and potential for the entire global economy.
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