More Than Half of Working Women Are in Vulnerable Jobs

MANILA (ILO News) – More women are working than ever before, but
they are also more likely than men to get low-productivity, low-paid and
vulnerable jobs, with no social protection, basic rights nor voice at
work according to a new report by the International Labour Office (ILO)
issued for International Women*s Day.

*Global employment trends for women – March 2008* */,
released on the occasion of International Women*s Day, says that the
number of employed women grew by almost 200 million over the last
decade, to reach 1.2 billion in 2007 compared to 1.8 billion men.
However, the number of unemployed women also grew from 70.2 to 81.6
million over the same period.

*Women continue to enter the world*s workforce in great
numbers. This progress must not obscure the glaring inequities that
still exist in workplaces throughout the world,* said ILO
Director-General Juan Somavia. *The workplace and the world of work
are at the centre of global solutions to address gender equality and the
advancement of women in society. By promoting decent work for women, we
are empowering societies and advancing the cause of economic and social
development for all.*

The report shows that improvements in the status of women in
labour markets throughout the world have not substantially narrowed
gender gaps in the workplace. The share of women in vulnerable
employment – either unpaid contributing family workers or own-account
workers, rather than wage and salaried work – decreased from 56.1 to
51.7 per cent since 1997. However the burden of vulnerability is still
greater for women than men, especially in the world*s poorest regions.

In the Philippines, results of the Labor Force Survey in October
2007 revealed that labour force participation for women was only 36.5
per cent compared to men at 63.5 per cent. Although there are more
unemployed men, many Filipino women remain in low paid jobs at 26.25 per
cent with only 10.94 per cent for men. In addition, women in the
Philippines tend to get jobs which are low in productivity.

Other key findings of the report:

* Worldwide, the female unemployment rate stood at 6.4 per cent
compared to the male rate of 5.7 per cent.

* Less than 70 women are economically active for every 100 men
globally. Remaining outside of the labour force is often not a choice
but an imposition. It is likely that women would opt for remunerated
work outside the home if it became acceptable to do so.

* At the global level, the female employment-to-population ratio -
which indicates how much economies are able to take advantage of the
productive potential of their working-age population – was 49.1 per cent
in 2007 compared to a male employment-to-population ratio of 74.3 per
cent.

* Over the past decade, the service sector has overtaken
agriculture as the prime employer of women. In 2007, 36.1 per cent of
employed women worked in agriculture and 46.3 per cent in services. In
comparison, male sectoral shares were 34.0 per cent in agriculture and
40.4 per cent in services.