The long road to gender parity

The question of when gender equality will be achieved has been a subject of intellectual discourse for decades. The World Economic Forum (WEF) estimates that it could take 80-plus years to close the global gender gap. This projection highlights the unremitting nature of gender-based disparities and raises an essential question: what does equality mean, and how can it be measured?
It sounds too simplistic to set a criterion to resolve the male-female asymmetries, something that has been dominating the global scene ever since or even from the dawn of human civilisation. The key question that begs answer is, equality by which measures or standards? Standards, no doubt, are difficult indices to fit into different nations, even into various social segments of a single nation. However, not to question 'when or how soon' seems sensible, given that gap reduction is preeminently a critical area, and most countries are now in the process of working on it with increased focus in their national planning.
The global gender index reports were first introduced by the WEF in 2006 as a framework for capturing the magnitude of gender-based disparity and tracking its progress. The index flags national gender gaps broadly based on economic, political, educational and healthcare-related criteria.
According to the founder of the WEF, Klaus Schwab, the world would be better served with the speeding up of the process of reducing the yawning gender gap. His key message, not altogether a new one, is that achieving gender equality is a necessary precondition for economic prosperity. He sounded more candid when he remarked, "Only those economies which have full access to all their talents will remain competitive and will prosper."

The expression 'all their talent' is significant in that it not only emphasises the role women plays in the socio-economic development of society, but more importantly, makes it clear enough that if prosperity is the goal, the aptitude, skill and talent of women must be utilised to the fullest potential, or else, prosperity and competitiveness will continue to remain unachievable.
Coming to the latest gender index report (2024) of WEF, it is disheartening to see that Bangladesh has slipped 40 notches in global gender equality ranking--- a steep decline to 99th position from its previous 59th. However, the country continues to lead South Asia in gender equality for the tenth consecutive year since 2014. The decline in global ranking has been attributed to significant deterioration of the country's economic gender parity in the past five years. According to the WEF report, Bangladesh has now closed 68.9 per cent of its gender gap, a decrease from 72.2 per cent the previous year. The report highlights that Bangladesh's economic gender parity score of 31.1 per cent is the lowest since 2014. This was mainly because of income inequality between men and women and the decrease in women's representation in leadership roles. Additionally, in 2024 women constituted just one-fifth of professional and technical workers, resulting in a parity score of 25.4 per cent. However, Bangladesh continues to perform well in educational attainment, achieving a 94 per cent parity rate.
The global scenario, mostly prompted by developments in advanced countries, though far different compared to developing countries like Bangladesh, is not free from many challenges common to developing and poor countries. While globally, women have made significant progress in health and education, workplace inequality remains a persistent issue. Women's economic participation has increased by only four percentage points, on a global scale. No nation has yet fully closed the gender gap, although the Nordic countries have managed to bridge over 80 per cent of it.
As for Bangladesh, one important issue remains non-recognition of women's contributions to economic activities. A study by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) revealed that if household activities performed by women were quantified in economic terms, their participation in economic activities would be substantially higher. This finding underscores the need to reassess how economic contributions are measured and valued.
In a country like Bangladesh, where structural barriers limit women's access to various opportunities, progress has often been driven by the relentless efforts of NGOs. These organisations have been instrumental in promoting women's empowerment through education, skill development, and advocacy. However, while these initiatives have laid the groundwork, they alone cannot achieve the systemic change required to bridge the gender gap.
While 80-plus years may seem like an eternity, the progress made in Bangladesh offers hope and inspiration. The country's achievements in education and healthcare demonstrate that change is possible with the right focus and commitment. However, the lagging economic participation index serves as a reminder that much work remains to be done.
The journey towards gender equality requires sustained efforts, collaboration, and a shared commitment to creating of a more inclusive society. By accelerating the pace of progress, Bangladesh can not only improve the lives of its women but also unlock the full potential of its economy and society.

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