Employment Opportunity in Gender and Employment

Question: Discuss about the Employment Opportunity in Gender and Employment. Answer: Introduction: Tremendous progress regarding gender equality has been witnessed in the labour market. However, in some countries, women continue to face unequal compensation for the same work, despite the ongoing campaign against such discrimination. Unequal compensation for women in the same job category as their male counterpart is a problem which has persisted in Australia and many other countries (Baird, 2011, p. 75). In understanding this issue, intense research should be done to establish the link between employment and this form of discrimination. This paper intends to summarise the two articles, which are, Will the real gender pay gap please stand up? by R. Cassells and 100 million Kalashnikovs: gendered power on a world scale by R.Connell. After which I will develop my position regarding gender and employment. Rebecca introduces her article by acknowledging that the gender pay gap is not an explicit subject to many. The confusion which characterises it is rooted in the belief that gender pay gap equally means direct discrimination. Besides, it is also rooted in the misunderstanding of what gender pay gap informs the public in reference to the overall inequality which marks the Australian labour market. Therefore, in her article Cassells calls for clarity on the concept of gender pay gap and what it can inform the public concerning the present and future economic security of women and the missed opportunity in the human resource as well as investment. She postulates gender gap pay as the difference between the average wages of men and women working for the same hours. Rebecca further notes that Australia has witnessed a growth in the numbers of women joining the labour force. She identifies paid parental leave, levels of education, availability of child care, and flexible working condition as the main elements which have facilitated the increase of women in the labour force. Conversely, she notes that despite the numerous legislations to curb workplace inequalities, the gender pay gap has remained constant. Cassells also identify why gender pay gap features Australian labour market. She recognizes segregation as one of the reasons. Segregation in this sense means men tend to dominate in given sector while women dominate another sector. For example, in Australia men dominate in the mining and construction industries while women dominate in the education and the healthcare sector. She concludes her article by recommending a thorough study on the possible drivers of the gender pay gap in order to identify an amicable solution to this problem (Cassells, 2017, p. 1-4). Raewyn Connell opens her article by affirming the need to think about gender in a global perspective. She identifies militarization across the continents and regions, neoliberal maquila economy, complicity of the states, violence due to drug trafficking menace, and the wider context of violence as the principal reasons why gender issues must be analysed from a global viewpoint. The article also suggests that thinking of gender as a global issue should entail thinking of concepts such as race, nation, class, and capitalist world order and how they are related to gender. However, she quickly notes that such an approach is inadequate and weak. She, therefore, recommends a better approach which includes considering how gender itself is global phenomenon, how neoliberal capitalism and its class and race structures are planned through gender as well as interacting with gender relations. In addition, Connell identifies transnational corporation (TNC) as an ideal starting point while thinking about gender within a global economy. She anchors her reasons for this choice on the fact that almost all TNCs top managers are men. Besides, TNCs employ women to handle the lighter duties of service workers, clericals, and sales people. Men, on the other hand, are hired to handle the demanding tasks such as technicians, guards, long distance drivers, and tradesmen. Raewyn concludes her article by giving a reflection on the feminism struggle against structured masculinity which has been integrated into different forms of leadership (Connell, 2016, p. 3-17). My position on Gender and Employment Advocating for equal and just remuneration as well as equal income opportunities for both men and women has been a top agenda for the International Labour Organization (ILO). ILO has established that assimilating gender issues into employment structures enhance productivity which leads to rapid economic growth. Similarly, the move leads to sustainable development, human resource expansion, and reduction in poverty. Integrating gender equality into the labour force has achieved minimal progress over the previous decades. Hence, narrowing the gender pay gap and gender inequality in workplaces persist as a major challenge. Although millions of women have emerged as successful entrepreneurs, women remain the most underrepresented group in major decision-making forums (Charlesworth, 2012, p. 110). Especially, in the developing nations, women constitute the majority of those who face unemployment, poor working conditions, and earn less wages as compared to their male counterpart. It is thus explicit that in large extent women do not enjoy equal privileges in employment as their male counterparts. As a consequence, they are prone to socioeconomic difficulties. Women become vulnerable to socioeconomic challenges due to gender-based discrimination as well as multiple roles they take part in as caretakers and workers of the society (Haque, 2008, p. 32). These duties entrusted to them, deny them opportunities to further their education, develop their skills, accesses productive resources, and compete fairly with their male counterparts. This problem can largely be attributed to social norms which ascribe gender roles. Besides, women are mostly involved in care work which is unpaid, and this further increases their challenge to engage in economically productive work. Promotion of gender equality in employment is possible only through adoption of life-cycle and rights-based approach. This approach is the ideal because it advocates for productive and decent employment. The approach further enhances equal income opportunities for men and women. The approach minimizes situations which lead to economic disadvantages. For example, if a young girl experiences discrimination in her childhood she automatically becomes prone to socioeconomic difficulties. Such socioeconomic limitations reduce her employability in future, thus increasing chances of her to end up poor in life (Rawstron, 2013, p. 780). The approach ensures adequate advancement of the human resource through ensuring equal accesses to training, education, and skill development. Such a move enhances higher employability for both young men and women. Equally, creation of inclusive employment markets which integrate equity and changing economic phenomenon ensure sustainable employment of the both men and women. Sustainability facilitates income security for both genders (Burgess and Strachan, 2010, p. 90). In conclusion, promotion of gender in employment is not an easy and straightforward process. It demands reduction of the inequalities regardless of which side they favour (Skinner, and Pocock, 2011, p. 75). Only adequate understanding of the gender concept can lead to annihilation of the gender gap. References Baird, M., (2011). Women and work in Australia: a theoretical and historical overview. Women at Work: Research, Policy and Practice, pp 77103, Tilde University Press. Burgess, J., French, E., and Strachan, G. (2010). The diversity management approach to Equal Employment Opportunity in Australian organisations, The Economic and Labour Relations Review, 20(1), pp 77-92. Cassells, R. (2017). Will the real gender pay gap please stand up?. THE CONVERSATION, Academic rigour, journalistic flair, pp.1-4. Charlesworth, S,. (2012). Decent working conditions for care workers? The intersections of employment regulation, the funding market and gender norms. Australian Journal of Labour Law, 25(2),pp 107-125. Connell, R. (2016). 100 million Kalashnikovs: gendered power on a world scale. Debate Feminista, 51, pp 3-17. Haque, R., (2008). Non-English Speaking Background Migrant Women in Australia, 2, 6472, Springer Science Business Media. Copyright. Rawstron, K., (2013). Academic employment and gender equity legislation in Australia and Japan, 1970-2010. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 32(8), pp.777-793. Skinner, N., and Pocock, B, (2011). Flexibility and work-life interference in Australia, Journal of Industrial Relations, 53(1),pp 65-82.