The Global Employment Trends 2009 examined the most current information available in order to assess the impact of the financial crisis and slowdown in world economic growth on jobs and what we could expect from several possible scenarios for the way the situation might evolve in the year ahead.

This issue of the Global Employment Trends for Women looks at the gender aspects of this impact, and updates indicators on the situation of women in labour markets around the world.

This report reconfirms that gender inequality remains an issue within labour markets globally. Women suffer multiple disadvantages in terms of access to labour markets, and often do not have the same level of freedom as men to choose to work. Gender differences in labour force participation rates and unemployment rates are a persistent feature of global labour markets. In 2008, an estimated 6.3 per cent of the world’s female labour force was not working but looking for work, up from 6.0 per cent in 2007, while the corresponding rate for males was 5.9 per cent in 2008, up from 5.5 per cent in 2007.

Women also face constraints in terms of sectors of economic activity in which they would like to work and working conditions to which they aspire. Women are overrepresented in the agricultural sector, and if the more industrialized regions are excluded, almost half of female employment can be found in this sector alone. Women are also often in a disadvantaged position in terms of the share of vulnerable employment (i.e. unpaid family workers and own-account workers) in total employment.

These workers are most likely to be characterized by insecure employment, low earnings and low productivity. Those women who are able to secure the relative comfort of wage and salaried employment are often not receiving the same remuneration as their male counterparts.

Gender wage differentials may be due to a variety of factors, including crowding of women in low paying industries and differences in skills and work experience, but may also be the result of discrimination. Given the constraints women are facing, promoting gender equality and empowering women is not only an important goal of the Millennium Declaration in itself,1 it is also pivotal to achieving the new target on full and productive employment and decent work for all, and virtually all remaining goals and targets. ...

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International Labour Organization 2009
www.ilo.org

Contents
Acknowledgements ................................................................................................5
1. Introduction...........................................................................................................................6
2. Economic growth, the labour market and gender inequality.................................................8
Gender inequality in sectoral employment and vulnerable employment............................. 10
Gender inequality in African agriculture .............................................................................. 14
Gender inequality in wages .................................................................................................. 17
Gender inequality in poverty ................................................................................................ 19
3. Gender impact of the economic crisis in developed economies .........................................20
4. Labour market outlook for 2008 and 2009: scenarios ..........................................................26
Scenarios for 2009: unemployment .......................................................................................26
Scenarios for 2008 and 2009: vulnerable employment ..........................................................29
5. Conclusions ..........................................................................................................................32
Policy orientations ................................................................................................................32

Policy implications and measures

“Women’s lower employment rates, weaker control over property and resources, concentration in informal and vulnerable forms of employment with lower earnings, and less social protection, all place women in a weaker position than men to weather crises”, said ILO Bureau for Gender Equality Director Jane Hodges, adding that “women may cope by engaging in working longer hours or by taking multiple low-income jobs but still having to maintain unpaid care commitments”.

ILO Director-General Juan Somavia said that gender equality should be a key principle in any policy response, as the effects of the economic and financial crisis go beyond the scope of women in the world of work and have an impact on the overall stability of society, considering the various roles that women play.

In a statement issued for International Women’s Day, Mr. Somavia said, “Gender inequality in the world of work has long been with us – but it is likely that it will be exacerbated by the crisis. In times of economic upheaval, women often experience the negative consequences more rapidly and are slower to enjoy the benefits of recovery. And already before the crisis, the majority of working women were in the informal economy with lower earnings and less social protection”.

Mr. Somavia cited a number of policy measures that could help rebalance the burden placed on women and address the impact of globalization, such as sustainable and quality jobs open to both men and women, broader social protection including unemployment benefits and insurance schemes that recognize women’s vulnerable position in the labour market, and social dialogue with the active inclusion of women in decision-making processes.

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