Women perform two thirds of the world’s work but earn only 10% of the world’s income.Women make up the majority of skilled workers in only 68 countries.
A recent study by the World Economic Forum shows that a Kenyan woman is paid Sh62 for every Sh100 paid to a man for doing a similar job.
This is a reality for women all over the world according to the Global Gender Gap Report.
According to the report, women generally make less money than men for the same jobs.
Shockingly, what women are earning currently is what men were paid in 2006.
It is expected that if the trend holds, it will take another 118 years for men and women to earn equal pay for equal work.
Across the world, political participation remains the worst-performing indicator, with the report showing an existing gap of 67 per cent.
The report indicated that only two countries have reached parity in parliament and only four have reached parity on ministerial roles.
As of December 2014, female parliamentarians made up only 21.9% of national parliaments, a slow increase from 11.3% in 1995 and there are still 37 States in which women account for less than 10% of parliamentarians.
Based on current trends, women will not be equally represented in parliaments until 2065, and will not make up half the world’s leaders until 2134
Kenyan Situation
In Kenya, women occupy only 21 per cent of all parliamentary seats. The country has tried to address this through Article 81(b) of the Constitution.
It says: “Not more than two thirds of the members of elective or appointive bodies shall be of the same gender.”
If implemented, women will occupy at least 33 per cent of parliamentary seats — a milestone that has been achieved and surpassed by other countries in the East African region.
However, delays in tabling and debating the appropriate Bill in the National Assembly has stalled the implementation of the two-thirds gender rule, whose deadline elapsed on August 27 without substantive progress.
Organizations like VSO, among many others, works with some of the most disadvantaged women and girls in the world at grassroots levels,working with them to improve education outcomes, maternal and sexual healthcare and economic independence. Other organizations helping women to realize their dreams include WECREATE KENYA, Women In Technology Africa and Akira Chix.
However, the education sector is among the best-performing sectors after health, which is rated at 95 per cent.
This is true of tertiary education, where women are the majority in almost 100 countries in the world.
However, better education opportunities has not translated into more participation of women in the workplace.
Because women are more likely to live in poverty than men, it is essential they have a voice.
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