Economic Integration of Women

The ITUC’s agenda is focused on the women’s full and equal economic participation and women’s leadership everywhere. Women’s labour force participation is below fifty per cent, and women’s share of unpaid care work has risen to the value of nine per cent of global GDP. Occupational segregation and undervaluation of women’s work persist as do the resulting gender wage and pension gaps.

Investing in care is a priority if we are to raise women’s labour force participation and access to decent jobs. The global pay gap is still twenty-three per cent and investment in quality public care services and social protection, the promotion of equal pay for work of equal value, and the introduction of minimum living wages with stronger collective bargaining remain the solutions to eliminate this discrimination.

Women on average still have only three-quarters of the legal protections given to men during their working life with only six countries providing equal rights and protections. This ranges from bans on entering some jobs to a lack of equal pay or freedom from sexual harassment, and it includes family law, property rights and other freedoms or entitlements.

The ITUC is committed to the elimination of gender-based violence in the world of work. This is a focal point for women to organise to see legislative and workplace justice.