The majority of professional women work in a male-dominated industry sector. In areas where the majority of the workforce is made up of women, quite often the power base is held by male bosses. In the IT sector, where I have spent my entire career, it is certainly the case that women are in the minority at all levels of business.
We frequently see reports reminding us that women still generally earn less than male counterparts. We know that less women reach positions of seniority, that we acquire smaller retirement funds than men, and that, in the home, working women still perform 80% of domestic duties and family care. No wonder we get tired! For as many articles and reports on the subject of female inequality, there are even more written about how we women, should or could, redress the situation in our favour. So here are my thoughts on the matter.
Personally, I have very few complaints, and I am fortunate in this regard. There is not a great deal I would want to change about my particular situation. However, I do realize that for many women there is still a great deal that can and should be changed to balance the scales of fairness and opportunity for my fellow females and, not least, for our future generations.
I have no idea what life and career choices my, now only six-year-old daughter, may make. We all want the best for our children, and I hope that things for women will be more equitable for my daughter. It is true that I have had to work a great deal harder than the majority of my male peer group, in all my life areas, not just in my job, in order to achieve my career success to date.
So, it is harder for women and what can we do to make it easier? As is so often the case in, the big issues can seem too big to tackle with small actions. I do believe strongly, though, that we can each make a difference every day, in countless small ways. One way is, to raise our daughters by our example, of emracing the sisterhood. This means simply to give our global sisters a hand wherever we can, whenever we can, in our daily lives — professionally and personally. Mutually supporting one another will make a difference and lighten the load. It’s a men’s world. But women can effect positive change — piece by small piece; that one day will change the whole jigsaw picture.
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