Women can help build a sustainable future for the world

Two hundred and sixty-seven or 267 years — That, according to United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), is the number of years it would take to bring about equality in women’s economic empowerment and participation.

Gender equality is listed as a fundamental human right and made part of international human rights law that was adopted by the United Nations in 1948, three years after the end of the Second World War. However, 75 years later, a healthy inclusion of women across all sectors is yet to become a reality.

Need for a level playing ground

Gender equality is listed as UN’s SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) #5 that aims for sustained gender equality, and empowering women and girls. (1). Even today, more than 2 billion women do not enjoy equal employment opportunities. (2)

It is estimated that this will take about a century before the global remuneration gap between genders is closed. In fact, the wage gap is alarming at present - for every $1 that a man earns, a woman earns just 80 cents. (3)

Why rights of women matter?

Despite the emphasis on the importance of legislated gender quotas in achieving equality in politics, we need to help open more areas of employment for women, as of today more than 20 per cent of the countries are yet to set aside quotas for women’s representation in parliament.

At a micro level, today, nearly every second woman in the world does not have the power to take decisions regarding her own sexual and reproductive health and rights. (UN Sustainable Development Report of 2023)

Inclusion a defining decision

Inclusion is a non-negotiable prerequisite to pave the way for a sustainable future. It will ensure a healthier and much more robust business sector which translates to a better and healthier lifestyle for all. A fact pointed out by a report from McKinsey Global Institute which states: if women and men shared identical roles at the workplace, the annual global GDP would increase by a whopping 26 per cent. (4)

According to the report, closer home, if women’s participation is fully equal to men’s, it could result in an overall gain of $101 billion. In other words, it would result in a GDP of $10,985 per person! (5).

It is also becoming increasingly apparent that when women enjoy equality in society, their health improves which has a huge trickle-down effect on every aspect of life. While a healthy woman will raise healthier children and thereby a healthy generation, such women also aspire to have the same education and job opportunities as men, and as mentioned above, more women entering the workplace can positively impact the nation’s GDP. A win-win for everyone.

The blueprint for inclusion

Can we ensure women take an equal chair at the local, regional, national, and global tables for a sustainable future?

One of the first prerequisites is providing women with adequate health care facilities. A recent World Economic Forum study found that women’s health and reproductive biology as a scientific field ranked low on the priority scale at not just educational institutions but also in research and clinical settings.

We also need to ensure that women are literate not just academically but financially as well. This will ensure that they are well-placed to demand- and manage- better incomes for the holistic development of the family and thereby society.

Next on the list of priorities is asking all related entities to offer support to women’s organizations and businesses to help them grow and diversify. Making them aware of their rights is also as important as financial literacy.

Gender equality and peace

Last but not in the least, at a time when violence and wars are grabbing headlines regularly, it is heartwarming to note that gender equality has been linked to greater peace.

Ensuring women’s representation at major if not all decision-making levels — from national to regional and even corporate boardrooms — has been found to have a positive impact in nurturing durable and peaceful environments.

A World Bank blog report found that including women as mediators and signatories to peace deals increased the probability of a lasting deal by up to 35 per cent. Now, who doesn’t want a peaceful, sustainable, equitable and prosperous world?

Alisha Moopen, Managing Director and Group CEO, Aster DM Healthcare GCC

• Opinion