One of the targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is, by 2030, to achieve “full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value” (Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 8, target 8.5). The 20-year review of the implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (Beijing + 20) has brought renewed attention to the situation of women in the world of work, and to the need to accelerate the closing of gender gaps therein.
Despite some advances, women continue to face significant obstacles in entering the labour market and progressing in their careers. Barriers to participation, persistent occupational and sectoral segregation and a disproportionate share of unpaid household and care work prevent them from enjoying equal access to opportunities, and to opportunities that are in line with their significant progress in educational achievement over the past decades.