fighting gender inequality in the workplace
Besides the gender pay gap, there’s also a lack of representation of women in senior positions.
A global study by Catalyst showed that women held only 29% of senior management roles in 2019. Female board representation is low in Asia, with females making only 2.6% of the board seats in South Korea and 15.2% in Singapore.
A research by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank Group examined the causes behind the low female board representation in Asia. It noted that in the Asian culture, women may choose to leave the workforce, as they are typically expected to take care of children and family.
The study also showed that women struggle with the stereotype that they are less capable leaders when compared to men. For example, female leaders are seen to be more maternal and empathetic, which are considered to be less suitable for senior-level positions. Board members are also often perceived to be aggressive and assertive, traits that are commonly associated with men.
gender inequality more prevalent in asia
Also, in Asia, the selection process relies heavily on the “old-boys’ network”, which leads to more men in leadership positions than women.
Even though we already know the benefits of having an equally-represented boardroom, many companies are not seen to be acting fast enough. A report by McMaster University that surveyed 600 board members showed that women made fairer decisions than men and had more initiative when it came to dealing with challenges. Ximena Hartsock, president of Phone2Action, a digital advocacy company, points out that "female board members also serve as role models for younger women, opening the door for their leadership and advancement — including into the boardroom."
Furthermore, working mothers face the motherhood penalty wage gap - where people assumed they would be less committed to their jobs because of the distractions of motherhood. As a result of this bias, mums may likely receive fewer job responsibilities or promotion opportunities. What’s worrying is that this discrimination comes from both men and women. Assistant Professor Aliya Hamid Rao of the Singapore Management University pointed out, "Some research has shown that the wage gap between mothers and comparable non-mothers is actually higher than the gender wage gap."