UN chief urges worldwide economic empowerment for women News
UN chief urges worldwide economic empowerment for women

[JURIST] UN Secretary-General António Guterres [official profile] on Tuesday called on [press release] public and private bodies worldwide to further incorporate women into their economies for the sake of a more peaceful and sustainable future.

Guterres highlighted the male-dominated nature of modern culture, stating that efforts must be continuously made to address gender inequality. According to Guterres, only 50 percent of women of working age are currently in the labor force, their employment relationships are often unstable, and on average they are paid 23 percent less than men for such employment.

Guterres stressed that the gender gap is not only a human rights issue but also an economic issue that affects society as a whole. As shown in studies, full gender equality in the labor force could potentially increase the global GDP by 26 percent by 2025. Accordingly, such efforts will be necessary for the UN High-Level Panel for Women’s Economic Empowerment [official website] to reach its established Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Since its inception in 2016, the panel has made recommendations [materials] for world leaders to embrace and act on the movement towards the economic integration of women.