Thirty Years After the Beijing Declaration: Persistent Economic Barriers for Women

Women Still Face Major Challenges in the Workforce Despite Decades of Progress.

Thirty years after the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action established a bold agenda for gender equality, women continue to confront substantial economic barriers, according to a new International Labour Organization (ILO) brief, Women and the Economy: 30 Years After the Beijing Declaration, released in conjunction with International Women’s Day.

While the employment gap between women and men has narrowed slightly—from 27.1 percentage points in 1991 to 23.1 percentage points in 2024—women’s participation in the labour force remains significantly lower than men’s. As of 2024, only 46.4 percent of working-age women are employed, compared to 69.5 percent of men. At this rate, full gender parity in employment rates will not be achieved for nearly two centuries.

Persistent Inequality in Employment and Leadership

Despite greater access to education and training, women’s labour market advancements have been limited. Women occupy only 30 percent of managerial roles globally, a marginal improvement over the past two decades. Many industries continue to exhibit stark gender divides, with women disproportionately represented in lower-paid sectors such as nursing, childcare, and domestic work, while men dominate higher-paying fields like transport, engineering, and mechanics.

Additionally, women around the world continue to face lower earnings and reduced working hours. In many low- and lower-middle-income countries, women are overrepresented in informal employment, leaving them more vulnerable to job insecurity and economic instability.

Wage Gaps and Systemic Barriers

One area of progress is the gradual narrowing of the earnings gap between women and men. In 2024, women earned an average of 77.4 cents for every dollar earned by men—a notable improvement from 70.1 cents in 2004, yet still reflecting significant disparity. Structural barriers such as unequal caregiving responsibilities, lack of paid parental leave, gendered economic policies, and discriminatory social norms continue to restrict women’s opportunities for economic advancement.

According to Sukti Dasgupta, Director of the ILO Conditions of Work and Equality Department, urgent reforms are required to address these persistent inequalities. “While progress has been made, millions of women still face significant challenges in accessing and advancing in decent work. Urgent reforms are needed to tackle unequal care responsibilities, wage gaps, and workplace violence and harassment, which continue to make employment conditions less equitable and less safe for women,” Dasgupta stated.

Looking Ahead: The Relevance of the Beijing Platform for Action

The ILO brief underscores that achieving gender equality in employment requires targeted policies addressing systemic barriers, including labour market discrimination, inadequate childcare and family support systems, and economic policies that fail to consider gender-specific challenges. The Beijing Platform for Action remains a cornerstone of global efforts to empower women, shaping policies that drive social and economic progress worldwide.

As the world navigates digital, environmental, and demographic shifts, the vision set forth in the Beijing Declaration remains as crucial as ever. Without immediate and sustained efforts, the promise of economic equality for women will remain out of reach for generations to come.