Despite some modest gains in some regions in the world, millions of women are losing ground in their quest for equality in the world of work, according to a new report prepared by the International Labour Organization (ILO) as part of the ILO’s Women at Work Centenary Initiative.

“The report shows the enormous challenges women continue to face in finding and keeping decent jobs,” said ILO Director-General Guy Ryder.

“Our actions must be immediate, effective and far-reaching. There is no time to waste. The 2030 Agenda is an opportunity to pool our efforts and develop coherent, mutually supporting policies for gender equality.”

The report, Women at Work: Trends 2016 examined data for up to 178 countries and concludes that inequality between women and men persists across a wide spectrum of the global labour market. What’s more, the report shows that over the last two decades, significant progress made by women in education hasn’t translated into comparable improvements in their position at work.

At the global level, the employment gender gap has closed by only 0.6 percentage points since 1995, with an employment-to-population ratio of 46 per cent for women and almost 72 per cent for men in 2015.

In 2015, 586 million women were working as own-account and contributing family workers across the world. As globally, the share of those who work in a family enterprise (contributing family workers) has decreased significantly among women (by 17.0 percentage points over the last 20 years) and to a lesser extent among men (by 8.1 percentage points), the global gender gap in contributing family work is reduced to 11 percentage points.

Although 52.1 per cent of women and 51.2 per cent of men in the labour market are wage and salaried workers, this in itself constitutes no guarantee of higher job quality. Globally, 38 per cent of women and 36 per cent of men in wage employment do not contribute to social protection. The proportions for women reach 63.2 per cent in sub-Saharan Africa and 74.2 per cent in Southern Asia where informal employment is the dominant form of employment.

The report also provides new data for up to 100 countries on paid and unpaid working hours and access to maternity protection and pensions.

Women work longer hours

Women continue to work longer hours per day than men in both paid and unpaid work. In both high and lower income countries, on average, women carry out at least two and a half times more unpaid household and care work than men. In developed economies, employed women (either in self-employment or wage and salaried employment) work 8 hours and 9 minutes in paid and unpaid work, compared to 7 hours and 36 minutes worked by men.

In developing economies, women in employment spend 9 hours and 20 minutes in paid and unpaid work, whereas men spend 8 hours and 7 minutes in such work. The unbalanced share of unpaid work limits women’s capacity to increase their hours in paid, formal and wage and salaried work. As a result, across the world, women, who represent less than 40 per cent of total employment, make up 57 per cent of those working shorter hours and on a part-time basis.

In addition, across more than 100 countries surveyed, more than one third of employed men (35.5 per cent) and more than one fourth of employed women (25.7 per cent) work more than 48 hours a week. This also affects the unequal distribution of unpaid household and care work between women and men.

The cumulative disadvantage faced by women in the labour market has a significant impact in later years. In terms of pensions, coverage (both legal and effective) is lower for women than men, leaving an overall gender social protection coverage gap. Globally, the proportion of women above retirement age receiving a pension is on average 10.6 percentage points lower than that of men.

Globally, women represent nearly 65 per cent of people above retirement age (60-65 or older according to national legislation in the majority of countries) without any regular pension. This means some 200 million women in old age are living without any regular income from an old age or survivor’s pension, compared to 115 million men.

Other key highlights of the report

There has also been further segregation in the distribution of women and men across and within occupations, over the past two decades, as skill-biased technological work increases, notably in developed and emerging countries. Between 1995 and 2015, employment increased most rapidly in emerging economies; the absolute change in employment levels was twice as high for men as for women (382 million versus 191 million respectively), regardless of the level of skills required, indicating that progress in getting women into more and quality jobs is stagnating.

In developed countries, women spend on average 4 hours and 20 minutes on unpaid care work per day, compared to 2 hours and 16 minutes by men. In developing countries, women spend 4 hours and 30 minutes per day on unpaid care work, compared to 1 hour 20 minutes for men. Although this gender gap remains substantial, it has decreased in a number of countries, mostly due to the reduction in time spent on housework by women, but not to significant reductions in their time spent on childcare.

In terms of wages, the results in the report confirm previous ILO estimates that globally, women still earn on average 77 per cent of what men earn. The report notes that this wage gap cannot be explained solely by differences in education or age. This gap can be linked to the undervaluation of the work women undertake and of the skills required in female-dominated sectors or occupations, discrimination, and the need for women to take career breaks or reduce hours in paid work to attend to additional care responsibilities such as child care. Though there has been some small improvement in reducing gender wage gaps, if current trends prevail, the report confirms estimates that it will take more than 70 years to close the gender wage gaps completely.

Getting to equal by 2030

The ILO theme for International Women’s Day 2016 is “Getting to Equal by 2030: The Future is Now ”, reflecting the urgency of addressing these gaps if the U.N. 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is to be achieved. Nearly all of the agenda’s goals have a gender component.

The report is also an important contribution to the ILO’s Women at Work Centenary Initiative. The Initiative marks the commitment of ILO constituents to gender equality as the ILO approaches its centenary in 2019, and is geared toward identifying innovative action that could give new impetus to the ILO’s work on gender equality and non-discrimination.

“Achieving gender equality at work, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is an essential precondition for realizing sustainable development that leaves no one behind and ensures that the future of work is decent work for all women and men,” said Shauna Olney, Chief of the ILO’s Gender, Equality and Diversity Branch .

The 2030 Agenda represents a universal consensus on the crucial importance of gender equality and its contribution to the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. More jobs – and quality jobs – for women, universal social protection and measures to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care and household work are indispensable to delivering on the new transformative agenda.

Pia Farmer, a director of Easy Car Sales, reviews benefits of environmentally friendly electric vehicles with Prime Minister Perry Christie. Easy Car Sales is importing the best-selling electric car, Nissan LEAF, that sells for just under $20,000 in The Bahamas and has a driving range of 80-100 miles between charges.

Owners of a local car dealership who have invested in electric vehicles applauded a prediction by Bloomberg News that the 2020s will be the decade of the electric car and nearly half the new vehicles in the world would have a plug by the year 2040.

“The story and video, which got huge play on Bloomberg, confirmed what we have believed since we first started investigating electric cars as the vehicle of the future,” said Pia Farmer. Along with husband John, Farmer has led the way in championing the e-vehicle, declaring it should succeed for all the right reasons.

“Electric cars are better for the environment in two ways, first, what powers them is a battery instead of fossil fuels, and secondly, their impact on air quality,” said Farmer. “We know, too, that the e-car is much easier and cheaper to maintain, it doesn’t have a thousand parts that other cars need to run, making the e-car desirable for the pocket, as well as the environment. But the reality is that long-standing habits do not change easily so this story by Bloomberg was really very welcome as an eye-opener for many readers.”

The Bloomberg piece: http://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-ev-oil-crisis/ claims that the steadily declining price of batteries along with the glut of oil that will stifle production due to low prices, is driving the industry to develop “faster, safer, cheaper” electric vehicles. The writer pointed to major investment in research and design by electric car leaders Tesla, Nissan and Chevy. Easy Car Sales is importing the Nissan LEAF, the best-selling electric car with more than 200,000 on roads worldwide. Easy Car Sales on Gladstone Road is bringing in the slightly used models to keep the price tag down to $20,000.

Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett pictured outside Parliament with e-car investor Pia Farmer.

According to the author of the Bloomberg piece, battery prices fell 35% in 2015 and car manufacturers are developing systems for longer range driving between charges. The Nissan Leaf available in The Bahamas features a driving range of 80 to 100 miles between charges with New Providence’s traffic boosting the range with stop and go battery energy generation.

“When that article stated ‘It’s looking like the 2020s will be the decade of the electric car,’ and that nearly half the vehicles would be electric by 2040 we felt that everything we have been saying about how electric vehicles are environmentally friendly, a pleasure to drive and financially attractive was confirmed,” said Farmer.

“The one thing that I think the public does not fully appreciate yet is how luxurious these vehicles are. We are not talking about a golf cart. We want people to know that the Leaf is comfortable, roomy, has all the bells and whistles including Bluetooth technology and a Bose sound system. And can you imagine if everyone drove electric vehicles, buses and trucks, how quiet and clean the streets would be? Driving could actually someday have a calming effect on the culture of the country.”

Photo: 38th Annual Honour’s Day Programme – Committee Members.

On March 18-20, 2016; FOURTY-FIVE of the best and brightest graduating female students from throughout the Commonwealth of The Bahamas will convene in New Providence for the 38th Annual Honour’s Day Programme weekend of activities culminating with an awards Ceremony at Government House.

The Honour’s Day Programme remains an integral part of Eta Psi Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. This year is especially significant to the organization as the international organization is celebrating one hundred and eight (108) years of service to mankind and the Honours Day Programme is celebrating thirty eight (38) years of positive influence in The Bahamas.

Over the last 38 years, the chapter has awarded almost $100,000 in scholarships to the most outstanding female high school students in the Bahamas.

During the Honour’s Day weekend, the students will have the opportunity to:

Vie for the scholarship award and additional awards and incentives Participate in community service Represent their respective schools Meet past awardees Receive career and college mentorship

The Honours Day programme was introduced in 1978 under the presidency of Ms. Mellany Zonicle. The idea was conceived by Mrs. Thelma McMillian a member of the sorority who had experience with a similar programme in the United States. Initially the chapter invited the top three female graduating seniors from high schools in New Providence to participate in an essay competition and the winner received a cash prize.

In 1984, under the presidency of Mrs. Mavis Johnson-Collie, Family Island students were invited to participate. Two new elements were introduced to the programme. The scholarship was renamed the Linda Higgs-Swann Memorial Scholarship in honour of the late past president of the Chapter, Linda Higgs-Swann and a scholarship to attend Success Training College was offered. The first recipient was Brenda-Lee Cornish of C. C. Sweeting High School.

In recognition of the quality of tertiary education in The Bahamas, the award was made tenable to the College of the Bahamas in 1992. This year the Janet Jones-Ballard Family Island Valedictorian Award was introduced in honour of Mrs. Janet Jones Ballard, who was the International President of the Sorority at this time and she played a pivotal role in helping to establish the International Region of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

In 1997, the Sorority was able to obtain a scholarship through Janice Munroe Stubbs, a member, from McDermott International for the Family Island student with the highest test score to attend The College of The Bahamas. The local campus of Atlantic College also generously donated a scholarship. Other supporters of the programme over the past years have been, BTC, Government House, Mr. Bertram Knowles of Nassau Stationers who has contributed prizes for all of the Honorees: the National Flag Carrier, Bahamasair; Southern Air, Western Air, Sky Unlimited, LeAir, Sky Bahamas, along with other charter companies who assist the chapter by ensuring that our Family Island participants receive air transportation to the capital.

Through the years the programme has become more elaborate. Students participate in an annual weekend of activities designed to motivate, promote and celebrate the accomplishments of the best and the brightest graduates from schools throughout the archipelago. The activities include a tour of local tertiary institutions, courtesy calls on the Ministers of Education and Youth as well as the President of the College of The Bahamas, a welcome reception, a general knowledge test, community service project, worship service culminating with an awards ceremony.

The Honours Day programme has exposed the honourees to the many outstanding Bahamian females who have been pioneers in their fields. Honours Day speakers have included Dame Joan Sawyer, first female Judge, first female chief Justice and first female President of the Court of Appeal; Justice Cheryl Albury, honourary member of the sorority and a judge of the Supreme Court of The Bahamas; Dame Ivy Dumont, former Minister of Education and first female Governor General of The Commonwealth of the Bahamas and a cultural icon; Maria Govan, a Bahamian Writer/Director/Producer of film; our sorority member, Ida Poitier-Turnquest, Educator and first elected female President of the Bahamas Union of Teachers; Ms. Aisha Bowe, Co-founder and CEO of STEMboard and a former NASA engineer and this year we are pleased to have Ms. Alanna Rodgers, entrepreneur, creator of Hands for Hunger and Paradise Plates as our 2016 Keynote speaker.

HRH Prince Edward makes official courtesy call at Government House

HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, paid a Courtesy Call on Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, on Thursday morning, March 3, 2016 at Government House.

The Royal Courtesy Call was the first event on the agenda of the visit of Their Royal Highnesses The Earl and Countess of Wessex to The Bahamas to participate in special events of the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA) Programme.

The full schedule while here includes tours of various schools; a Thursday evening Gold Awards Ceremony of the Governor General’s Youth Award Programme hosted by the Royal Couple at Queen’s College; GGYA activities in Abaco on Friday; and a dinner hosted for GGYA on Friday evening.

Photos show the Prince arriving at Government House, and during his Courtesy Call upon the Governor General. He is also shown during Royal Guard ceremonies.

HRH Countess of Wessex at Garvin Tynes

Minister of the Environment and Housing, Hon. Kenred Dorsett, accompanied Her Royal Highness The Countess of Wessex on a tour of the Autism Unit at Garvin Tynes Primary School this afternoon. Her Royal Highness spoke to the assembly of students, faculty and parents of school. She was also presented with handmade gifts by some of the students. Pictured in the gallery with the Countess are Lionel Sands, Director of Education; Hon. Kenred Dorsett, Minister of the Environment and Housing; Carolyn Wright-Mitchell, Principal of Garvin Tynes Primary School.

Luncheon in honour of HRH The Countess of Wessex at Government House

HRH The Countess of Wessex had a private audience with Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, at Government House on Thursday, March 3, 2016. The Countess is visiting The Bahamas with her husband, HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, to attend special ceremonies for the Governor General’s Youth Award (GGYA) Programme. The Governor General hosted a luncheon in the State Dining Room in honour The Countess of Wessex, after their meeting. Invited guests were a small group of outstanding women of the community.

Photos show the some of the memorable events of Thursday: Meeting of The Countess and the Governor General; the luncheon during which Dame Marguerite gives a warm welcome; and a formal photo. In the formal photo, seated: Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling, Governor General is at centre, with HRH The Countess of Wessex, centre left; and Mrs. Bernadette Christie, wife of the Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Perry Christie, centre right. Also seated from left: Dame Anita Allen, Cynthia “Mother” Pratt, Lady Igrid Darling, and Rosamund Roberts. Standing from left: Joan Albury, Diane Pindling, Wendy Warren, Alana Rodgers, Tanya McCartney, Joy Jibrilu, Dr. Madlene Sawyer, Maria Ferrere, Nancy Kelly, Ruth Millar, Marie Rodland Allen, Dr. Gail Saunders, Manita Wisdom, Patricia Hermanns, Margaret Butler, Muna Issa, and Michele Fields. (BIS Photos/Patrick Hanna)