A groundbreaking new report released by the World Bank Group exposes a significant global gender gap in the workplace. The study demonstrates that women possess just two-thirds of the legal workplace rights granted to men, revealing inequalities in areas such as protection from violence and access to childcare. This global trend is reflected in the Maldives, where the labour force participation rate among females is 42.6% compared to 78% for males as of 2022.
The report, “Women, Business, and the Law 2024”, underscores the absence of equal opportunity for women across the globe, including within the most affluent economies. It paints a stark picture of the systemic barriers women face when seeking to join the workforce and contribute to the economic well-being of themselves, their families, and their communities.
“Women have the power to turbocharge the sputtering global economy,” declared Indermit Gill, Chief Economist of the World Bank Group. “Yet…discriminatory laws and practices prevent women from working or starting businesses on an equal footing with men.”
While the World Bank report doesn’t focus on the Maldives specifically, the nation’s gender disparity in labor force participation highlights the broader challenges women face worldwide. There has been progress in the Maldives, with female labor force participation increasing since 1990 and vulnerable employment for females improving since 1991. However, continued efforts are crucial to address the legal, societal, and economic barriers that restrict women’s full participation in the workforce.
