United Nations Population Fund

Women’s Empowerment

Women Driving Change-JESSALINE

(Jessaline is a fictional character)

Jessaline is a hardworking single mother who has become a tremendous asset to her company. She hasn’t been recognized with a higher position or rewarded monetarily, however, and has had to put up with sexist comments from her male co-workers. After being drugged and raped at a party by one of her boss’ friends, her life is turned upside down when she learns she might be HIV positive. She decides not to report the crime until a few weeks later when she receives the negative results. By that time, the police find Jessaline’s story very hard to believe, especially since she has just gotten fired from her job for accusing her boss’ friend. Feeling betrayed and left down, she starts attending a support group meeting for survivors of gender-based violence. This is where she meets Chi-Chi, a former sex worker, who now works in the corporate world. Both women, feeling very empowered, decide to dedicate their lives to advocating for gender equality. Jessaline even chooses to take things further and run for office.

ICDP Review Report The 5 Pillars
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Women’s Empowerment

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Underestimated. Underpaid. Undervalued.

Jessaline is frustrated at work. As a hardworking, middle-class, single mother, she worked her way up the professional ladder and created a comfortable life for her seven-year-old daughter, Mona, and herself. Yet despite years of hard work and professional achievements, she has not been promoted to a higher position or sufficiently rewarded monetarily. There is no question that Jessaline deserves more than the verbal accolades and “flattering” perks her boss “generously” gives her. After all, her work is very high quality, and her boss consistently verbally acknowledges her valued contributions—just without considering the appropriate compensation she has repeatedly requested. A source of further aggravation is that Jessaline has too many times witnessed her boss giving less qualified and accomplished male colleagues promotions. It doesn’t help that she puts up with sexist comments from her male co-workers, who include her boss. It’s when her boss’ new male assistant asks her: “What did you have to do to get that job?” that she decides enough is enough. She does not deserve such treatment.

“[World leadership] must ensure the full implementation of the human rights of women and of the girl child as an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.”

The workplace isn’t the only place where Jessaline works hard without being appreciated. Her ex-husband took personal issue with her role as the breadwinner, and in many respects, the head of household and decision maker. She was the one who juggled being both a provider and nurturer in their home, while he jumped from one job to another, with long stretches of unemployment, and without contributing to the upkeep of their home and responsibilities of raising their daughter. Jessaline continues to struggle with her ex-husband to provide support monetarily, and even to simply show up and participate in the daily and consistent support and care of Mona.

“Women continue to be paid less than men, are often employed in the informal sector, have temporary and insecure jobs, and command less authority.”

Changing Gender Patterns of Employment

The gender gap in labour force participation has narrowed slightly since 1990, but women continue to be paid less than men; to be employed more often in the informal sector, and in temporary and insecure jobs; and to command less authority. The overall rate of women’s participation in the labour force has remained generally steady at the global level; however, in the last few years, the rate of participation of both women and men slightly declined. At the regional level, women’s labour force participation has been variable. It has increased the most in Latin America and the Caribbean, and decreased slightly in Eastern Europe and much of Asia other than South Asia, where it increased slightly. The labour force participation of women aged 25-54 has increased in all regions since 1990 except for Eastern Europe; this is due to declining fertility and a lessening impact of fertility on labour force participation.

Women’s share in wage employment in the non-agricultural sector and in traditionally male-dominated occupations has increased, although it remains low in jobs associated with status, power and authority. In all regions, women remain significantly underrepresented among business leaders and managers.

Distinct gender roles that give advantages to men are still valued in countries in Africa and Asia and in some of the countries of Eastern Europe. For example, men are considered better business and political leaders by 50% or more of people in almost half of surveyed countries, with perceptions of male superiority in political leadership more pronounced than in business.

There is greater support for gender equality among women than men. Overall, the gender gap is smaller in access to tertiary/university education, and larger in men’s favoured access to jobs, and leadership in politics and business. The gap is lowest in Western European and other developed countries, where men are as likely, or only slightly less likely, than women to acknowledge gender equality.

Overall differences in gender values and attitudes between women and men have increased in terms of women as political leaders in Argentina, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, as have differences related to education in the Russian Federation. The proportion of women who support gender equality has climbed significantly, while the proportion of men has remained at lower levels.

What Your Government Can Do

States should ensure equal opportunities for women to contribute to society as leaders, managers and decision makers, granting them access to positions of power equal to that of men in all sectors of public life. As part of these efforts, it is important to address public views and values regarding sexism or other forms of discrimination, including through creative communication and education campaigns, and monitor these on a regular basis as indicators of social development.

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