While the world has closed the gender equality gap by almost 70 per cent, at the current pace it will take another 134 years to achieve full parity, though global elections offer some hope, the World Economic Forum said in a new report.
“Despite some bright spots, the slow and incremental gains highlighted in this year's Global Gender Gap Report underscore the urgent need for a renewed global commitment to achieving gender parity, particularly in economic and political spheres,” said Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the WEF.
“We cannot wait until 2158 for parity. The time for decisive action is now.”
Globally, the gender gap has closed by 0.1 percentage points since last year, according to the report.
Women’s representation in the political sphere has increased at the federal and local level, though top-level positions remain largely inaccessible globally, the report said.
With more than 60 national elections this year and the largest percentage of the global population in history set to vote, representation could further improve.
The Middle East and North Africa ranked last out of eight global regions, with a score of 61.7 per cent, though the report noted that it has seen marked strides in women's educational attainment.
While labour force participation remains low, major progress has been made in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in recent years, the report said.
The UAE and Israel were the top regional performers, and the only Mena countries to break the top 100.
Workforce participation
While parity in women’s labour force participation has improved, regional differences remain.
“The slow progress that had been made in women being hired into leadership roles is now starting to erode from a peak seen in 2022,” said Sue Duke, vice president of global public policy and economic graph at LinkedIn.
“As the global economy has cooled, it is women that have been disproportionately hit, reinforcing the systemic issues that hold women back in the workplace.”
LinkedIn data has shown that women's workforce representation remains below men's in nearly every industry and economy, with women accounting for 42 per cent of the global workforce and about 32 per cent of senior leaders.
There has, however, been a significant rise in women's participation in Stem fields, particularly artificial intelligence engineering, which has more than doubled since 2016.
“We are reaching a pivotal moment as generative AI starts to impact the labour market with a recalibration of the skills employers value most,” Ms Duke said.
“Employers must ensure they apply a gender lens to their approach in upskilling to establish the future workplace in a fair and equitable way.”
The Global Gender Gap Report, first published in 2006, is the longest-standing index tracking progress on gender parity worldwide, presenting data and analysis of gender-based gaps in economic participation, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.
A new relationship with the old country
Treaty of Friendship between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates
The United kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates; Considering that the United Arab Emirates has assumed full responsibility as a sovereign and independent State; Determined that the long-standing and traditional relations of close friendship and cooperation between their peoples shall continue; Desiring to give expression to this intention in the form of a Treaty Friendship; Have agreed as follows:
ARTICLE 1 The relations between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the United Arab Emirates shall be governed by a spirit of close friendship. In recognition of this, the Contracting Parties, conscious of their common interest in the peace and stability of the region, shall: (a) consult together on matters of mutual concern in time of need; (b) settle all their disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the provisions of the Charter of the United Nations.
ARTICLE 2 The Contracting Parties shall encourage education, scientific and cultural cooperation between the two States in accordance with arrangements to be agreed. Such arrangements shall cover among other things: (a) the promotion of mutual understanding of their respective cultures, civilisations and languages, the promotion of contacts among professional bodies, universities and cultural institutions; (c) the encouragement of technical, scientific and cultural exchanges.
ARTICLE 3 The Contracting Parties shall maintain the close relationship already existing between them in the field of trade and commerce. Representatives of the Contracting Parties shall meet from time to time to consider means by which such relations can be further developed and strengthened, including the possibility of concluding treaties or agreements on matters of mutual concern.
ARTICLE 4 This Treaty shall enter into force on today’s date and shall remain in force for a period of ten years. Unless twelve months before the expiry of the said period of ten years either Contracting Party shall have given notice to the other of its intention to terminate the Treaty, this Treaty shall remain in force thereafter until the expiry of twelve months from the date on which notice of such intention is given.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the undersigned have signed this Treaty.
DONE in duplicate at Dubai the second day of December 1971AD, corresponding to the fifteenth day of Shawwal 1391H, in the English and Arabic languages, both texts being equally authoritative.
Signed
Geoffrey Arthur Sheikh Zayed
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