International Women’s Day’s Focuses on Gender Parity
International Women’s Day: Focusing on Gender Parity in the Workforce
Rebecca Richardson
Women currently surpass men in terms of post-secondary degrees and account for roughly half of the global workforce. They still, however, earn less than their male counterparts, roughly $.83 for every dollar a male cohort makes performing similar work.
The 2014 Presidential Executive Summary on women’s participation in Education and the Workforce shed light on today’s modern woman. According to the report, more than 40% of mothers are now the sole or primary source of income for a household and about two-thirds of children now live in a home with a dual parent income. Women currently surpass men in terms of post-secondary degrees and account for roughly half of the global workforce. They still, however, earn less than their male counterparts, roughly $.83 for every dollar a male cohort makes performing similar work.
This year’s International Women’s day, held on March 8th, worldwide, will focus on gender parity and the steps that can be taken to help bridge the gap for women in the social, economic and political arenas. Founded in 1910, the IWD has become a global force for celebrating women while raising awareness on issues that affect women the world over. Their focus this year on gender parity comes from global studies that have proven that the advancement of women in leadership and in the workforce is key to increasing economic prosperity as a whole.
In the 2015, World Economic Forum’s report, “Global Gender Gap”, it is estimated it will take another 117 years before men and women have equal representation globally. IWD is taking a stance and encouraging both men and women to look for proactive solutions that will help to lesson this time frame through mentoring women and girls, advocating for gender-balanced leadership, rooting out workplace bias and taking action within one’s own community by helping to include and advance women in the workplace.
Colleges like ICC, are already committed to this concept. Out of 1402 total employees, 852 or 60.77% are women. Many of these women hold Executive level positions and many of the female adjunct and full-time professors have doctorate level degrees. In placing women at the forefront of leadership and in the classroom, encouraging them to pursue continued education and to mentor students, a message is sent that women can and do make a difference.
A focus on gender parity is a core part of making the “Global Gender Gap” report theory instead of a reality. As Gloria Steinem, world-renowned feminist, journalist and social, political activist stated when asked about women’s equality, “The story of women’s struggle for equality belongs to no single feminist nor to any one organization but to the collective efforts of all who care about human rights”.