Decent work; the vulnerable position of women

Serious Citizens; Women's Economic Empowerment -Poll 4

What is the biggest challenge for women in informal jobs?
37%- Physical and sexual abuse at work
26%- Extremely low pay or no pay
14%- Long working hours
13%- Condemnation from the community and family
10%- Harsh working conditions

Women's economic empowerment is central to realizing women's rights and gender equality. Women's economic empowerment includes women's ability to participate equally in existing markets, their access to and control over productive resources, access to decent work, and control over their own time, lives, and bodies. Women's economic empowerment includes women's ability to participate equally in existing markets, have access to productive resources, control their own time, lives, and bodies, and increase their agency and voice. Women's economic equality is good for business. Companies greatly benefit from increasing employment and leadership opportunities for women, which is shown to increase organizational effectiveness and growth. It is estimated that companies with three or more women in senior management functions score higher in all dimensions of organizational performance.

However, not all jobs contribute to women's economic empowerment. In Uganda, many women work without contracts in poor and unsafe working conditions with very low or no pay at all. These jobs are not considered 'decent work' and exploit women instead of helping them gain economic empowerment.

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