I matter, I matter equally. Not ' if only', not 'as long as'. I matter, Full stop.

    Chimamanda Adichie

           Nigerian writer

1EQUAL PAY, EQUAL GENDER PAY

Women still face enormous challenges in progressing their careers in workplaces and many facets of their lives. In 2022, it's a reality that women still make way less money compared to men in the same positions. Women have to work twice as hard while burdening all the challenges that come their way just to earn way less money.

Their degrees, years of experience, expertise, and job levels do not seem to mean anything. The fact that you are a woman comes before any decision is made. Worldwide, women only make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. It's not that women do not fight and demand equal pay, it's just it's not given to them. Research shows that pay negotiations work for men while women are withheld and put down. This gap in remuneration results in prolonged lifetime income inequality making women more prone to poverty.

2ABUSE OF THEIR RIGHTS AT WORK

Society has made progress in gender equality. There are so much more milestones to be conquered before this battle is won. There are so many workplace policies put in place to defend these women and their plight but have proven ineffective.

Maternity and paternity packages, for example, affect the career development of women. Once you are pregnant and you take maternity leave, you are deemed not up to the task and can be easily replaced. A lot of women have reported going back to work after maternity leave and finding their jobs taken and ended up taking lower ranks.

Only 29% of women in Britain reported that they feel they could have children without impacting their careers.

3CHILD CARE

Childcare is a hurdle to women and their careers. Most women cannot afford to return to work after childbirth. They struggle a lot to balance work and childcare. This is all thanks to the outrageous demands by companies and organizations whose only target is the quantity of time and not the quality of work done. Imagine how easy it would be for this mother if only they could make her workday more flexible. At the end of the day, productivity is the most crucial aspect of working.

A study from thrive global substantiates this theory and reveals that in an office setting, individuals only produce for roughly three hours a day whilst flexible workers like managers are more productive. The need to attend to your children's illnesses, education, and basic needs outweigh the demand at work and most women opt out of work early and report late, these cost them their career advancements.

4SEXUAL ABUSE

Women at all work levels and all types of workplaces all over the world have to deal with this uncomfortable environment at work. It's like a chronic disease without a cure. The turmoil that the small gestures (according to you) have on women is tremendous. It has driven a lot of women to depression, anxiety others quit altogether just for peace of mind. This improper behavior costs companies a lot through absenteeism, low productivity, and reduced work effort. Sexual harassments range from unwelcomed verbal, visual, and non-verbal or physical harassment.

Many women persevere and suffer in silence when harassment comes from their seniors. Imagine receiving that from a person you looked up to, someone you regarded and there is barely anything you can do. I mean, what if they get fired or demoted? It's a disgraceful act by perpetrators that should be put to stop.

5 LACK OF EDUCATION

Women's average education attainment is generally lower in the world. This directly has an impact on their overall well-being and reflects on their already disadvantaged start.

Harmful stereotypes in society ie early marriages among girls, unwanted pregnancies and lack of inclusive and quality learning environments, inadequate and unsafe learning environments for women to receive education, worsens their already poor situation and sentence them to a lower quality of life.

The low enrollment rates among women and high rates of dropouts among girls and women affect their job security and career advancement later in their lives. Women make up more than two-thirds of illiterate people in the world today. Did you know that to this day most families prefer to school their boy child to their girls? This low education attainment impedes them from opportunities in life like good employment opportunities that guarantee a good quality of life.

6WORK HARASSMENT

It is a biological reaction that women experience, during their monthly period. Also, they say it's a blessing but all may not see it that way because why then would a woman in a ridiculous incident in Georgia, be fired in 2017 for staining her sit at the office? Her offense was a biological reaction beyond her control.

The harassment has become so chronic such people now have the guts to joke and mock others about it. " You are so moody today, are you menstruating?".

Sexism is also ridiculing a fellow female colleague for skipping a work day on her worst day of menstruation and contending it's just an excuse not to go to work. The menstrual prejudice weathered by women is a pandemic and the harassment is pronounced in workplaces.

7FAMILY AND WORK BALANCE

Women are naturally expected to be caregivers. Despite having to work a lot, it still demanded of them. Striking a balance between work and familial responsibilities put a toll on both of these facets of their lives. The demands at home like a child and family care puts them at a disadvantage in their career advancement.

There are less likely to put in long hours at work, advanced their education, or take promotions because it will demand more time which they cannot afford due to family demands. Unfortunately in most societies, women are still expected to perform all house chores and attend to children whilst they are working. The level of stress and fatigue build up and this leads to low productivity at work.

Most male counterparts do not have to deal with their familial balance because their roles, as dictated by society, do not demand much from them in this regard and hence, easier progression in their careers.

8UNDERESTIMATION

Most women in the working world are treated or reviewed unequally by men. They are thought of as unqualified, inexperienced enough, or just not strong enough. These stereotypes have cost women their deserving promotions, leadership positions, opportunities, and career advancements.

Did you know that since the 1950s to the present, data has never gone beyond 25% of men comfortable with working for or under a woman? The cultural and social stereotypes that both women and men are living under have perpetrated it. Some companies go to the extent of not employing women who are thought to marry or have children. The notion of women not being in some careers also underestimates their skill sets and boxes more than in what is thought to be gender appropriate.

The world is all about progress, change, adaptation, improvement, and all the good strides towards a better society but for who if the world's majority population is suffering from mental or emotional to physical pain and somehow it's okay? They can do it, they are strong, right? Our mothers and grandmas did it, why are you whining about it?

Does this change not apply to women? Why does society view women as not equals The word feminism is treated with so much resentment. All the progress and effort is for nothing if the predicament of these women if the gender gap in political, social, economic, and personal equality is not accomplished.