Gender Equality in the Workplace: Challenges and Progress in the 21st Century
Main Article Content
Shujaat Yousuf pirzada
Gender equality in the workplace remains a central issue in the global discourse on human rights and inclusive development. Despite progress in education and employment participation, significant gender disparities persist in wages, leadership representation, occupational roles, and access to opportunities. This research paper explores the major challenges to achieving gender equality at work, such as the gender pay gap, occupational segregation, underrepresentation in leadership positions, and the unequal burden of unpaid care work. It also highlights notable progress made in the 21st century, including legal reforms, corporate diversity programs, and supportive policies for working women. The paper concludes by offering strategic recommendations to accelerate progress, emphasizing the importance of systemic change, inclusive practices, and cultural transformation in achieving gender-equal workplaces.
Catalyst. (2020). Women in the Workforce: United States. Catalyst. https://www.catalyst.org/research/women-in-the-workforce-united-states/
World Economic Forum. (2023). Global Gender Gap Report 2023. https://www.weforum.org/reports/global-gender-gap-report-2023/
International Labour Organization (ILO). (2019). A Quantum Leap for Gender Equality: For a Better Future of Work for All. https://www.ilo.org
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2020). Tackling Social Norms: A Game Changer for Gender Inequalities. https://www.undp.org/publications
McKinsey & Company. (2022). Women in the Workplace 2022. https://www.mckinsey.com
OECD. (2021). The Gender Pay Gap: What It Is and Why It Matters. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. https://www.oecd.org/gender
UN Women. (2023). Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals: The Gender Snapshot 2023. https://www.unwomen.org
World Bank. (2021). Women, Business and the Law 2021. https://wbl.worldbank.org/
Harvard Business Review. (2018). Why Diversity Programs Fail. https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-diversity-programs-fail
Sandberg, S. (2013). Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. Alfred A. Knopf.
Eagly, A. H., & Carli, L. L. (2007). Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders. Harvard Business Review Press.
UNESCO. (2022). Cracking the Code: Girls' and Women's Education in STEM. https://unesdoc.unesco.org
