The rise of feminism and women’s rights has produced some excellent results with women being taken more seriously and bridging the gap that has existed in society for a long time. But despite impressive improvements in recent years, not everything is as good as it seems. A major review of inequality in the UK has revealed that women face on-going discrimination in the workplace that hasn’t stopped even with advances in equality.
Specifically, it was revealed that a mother who has a partner and who has a child aged under the age of 11 is 45 percent less likely to be in work than a partnered man. This is a clear indication that inequality still holds back too many individuals from realising their potential in the working environment.
The report revealed the surprising truth that women with young children face more discrimination in the workplace than disabled people or those from ethnic minorities. The survey looked at 122 recruitment agencies, and amazingly more than 70 percent of them had been asked by clients to avoid pregnant women or women of childbearing age.
Another fact from the report was that disabled people were 29 percent less likely to be employed than non-disabled people. Also, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women were around 30 percent less likely to be employed than white women with similar ages and qualifications.
The report, however, has revealed a crucial overall truth that is not only people from a minority background or with disabilities that face workplace discrimination – but women in general. The unemployment of women costs the UK an estimated £28bn a year.
It shows that authorities need to do more to ensure that women are treated fairly and that employers are not allowed to discriminate in the way that they have. This will be a long process but it is hoped that women will soon gain equality with men in the working environment.
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