8 March 2017 is International
Women’s Day, with the theme ‘Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50
by 2030.’
The world of work is changing, with
significant implications for women, including both challenges and opportunities.
Against this backdrop, only 50% of working age women are represented in the
labour force globally, compared to 76% of men.
The United Nations observance on 8
March will call upon everyone to ‘Step It Up for Gender Equality towards a
Planet 50-50 by 2030’ by ensuring that the world of work works for all women. The
upcoming 61st session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW61), from
13–24 March at the UN Headquarters, will discuss the topic: “Women’s economic
empowerment in the changing world of work.”
UN Women Executive Director
Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka said, “We want to construct a different world of work
for women. As they grow up, girls must be exposed to a broad range of careers,
and encouraged to make choices that lead beyond the traditional service and
care options to jobs in industry, art, public service, modern agriculture and
science.”
But the World Economic Forum
predicts that the gender gap at work won’t close entirely until 2186. The #BeBoldForChange
on International Women's Day 2017 and beyond is promoting groundbreaking action
that truly drives the greatest change for women. The campaign maintains that each
one of us - with women, men and non-binary people joining forces - can be a
leader within their own spheres of influence by taking bold pragmatic action to
accelerate gender parity. Through purposeful collaboration, the campaign aims
to advance and unleash the limitless potential of women offered to economies all
over the world.
MARTINA NICOLLS is an international
aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of
Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet
(2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
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