Women Employment Course - Student's Name Institution ✓ Solved
7 Women Employment Course Title Student's Name Institution
Today's generation may not understand the struggle women have had to endure before getting to be placed on the board of committee in a company or organization. A woman today is capable of running a company, let alone owning it. This did not come easy, as most women had to fight for their place and struggle for their independence and position. An article by the International Labor Office states that today's labor force is made up of forty percent of women. The article goes ahead to state that most of these women have actively engaged in productive employment, leading to not only long-term sustainability but also faster economic growth.
However, this is not to say that women have made it, not yet, as there are still challenges and milestones that they are yet to conquer. This paper is designed to discuss the changes that have taken place in the last fifty years concerning women employment.
Background
July 1848 is marked as the foundation towards women fighting for their own independence and position in society, through the Seneca Falls convention, the first-ever women's convention to be held by women and for women. The convention launched the women's suffrage movement, which came through eleven resolutions. This included disregarding laws that made men superior to women, giving them equal rights to jobs and attending church (Ruiz, 2020).
One of the organizers of the convention, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, stated that she fought for women to be allowed access to the mainstream of American society. Initially, women were only assigned domestic roles with no right to employment, no right to vote, and no voice regarding marriage. Access to the mainstream of American society meant that women could pursue higher education, engage in politics, and even own property. As the employment laws would have it, for women to be employed, they had to have quality education.
Lucas (2016) states that Cambridge University did not validate women for a degree until 1947. This means that though laws had been passed to allow women to fit in society, much work had to be done to enable compliance among other stakeholders. Consequently, many women endured low-paid jobs due to their lack of higher education. The few who accessed higher education were paid less than their counterparts despite performing the same role within organizations. However, this soon changed in the 20th century as gradual progress paid off.
Problem Statement
To understand women’s current position in the workforce, it is essential to review changes that have occurred in the last fifty years regarding women in employment. This review will illuminate the milestones women have faced, their present situation, and what the future holds for them. Celebrating the role of women in the workforce does not imply that their acceptance is complete; it signifies that they have progressed from where they once were but are not yet where they aim to be.
Identifying the challenges women face today will help shape a more favorable workforce in the future. It is vital to acknowledge that today's opportunities are a result of overcoming challenges in past years. Recognizing women globally who have played significant roles in enhancing women’s rights in various aspects, including socio-economic, political, and spiritual domains, is also essential.
Objectives
This paper aims to review how the workforce has opened for women over the last fifty years, including the journey, milestones, challenges, and emerging opportunities. Furthermore, it intends to identify how other women or circumstances have played a role in positioning women in the workforce. It is crucial to recognize that women did not suddenly find themselves in their current positions; acknowledging the now-conquered challenges will help pave the way for future advancements.
Additionally, the objectives include recognizing influential women who have contributed significantly to revolutionizing women’s roles within various sectors. This paper will collate the information gathered to predict potential future changes favorable to the promotion of women’s employment. Such insights may benefit future scholars in building upon this research focus.
Literature Review
The research will primarily utilize secondary data from peer-reviewed articles on women in the labor force and employment journeys. A literature review is fundamental as this research is retrospective. However, primary data will also be gathered through interviews with women in fields traditionally viewed as male-dominated. Their perspectives will help indicate achievements, ongoing challenges, and predictions for the future.
Kergroach (2017) notes that the labor market shifted in the 20th century, creating more opportunities for office work, requiring less physical labor. This shift facilitated women’s access to higher education. In 1985, more than half of women aged twenty-five to forty years were listed in the workforce, and job opportunities continued to grow.
A review during the 1995 United Nations World Conference on Women acknowledged that while the ratio of women in the workforce had increased, it still lagged behind that of men (Lai, 2016). Women’s challenges such as compensation disparities and sex segregation persist even today (Cobble, 2020).
Research Design
The study will focus on the changing dynamics of gendered jobs as the labor force evolves. Drawing on insights from women in traditionally male-dominated fields, Cobble (2020) identifies engineering, web development, and other sectors where women now increasingly engage. This study aims to facilitate conversations with thirty professionals across relevant domains to highlight their experiences and challenges, thereby contributing to the broader narrative of women’s employment.
Conclusion
The progression observed in women's employment over the past fifty years signifies a legacy marked by unwavering determination from pioneers like Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Although significant strides have been made toward integrating women into the workforce, ongoing efforts are essential to achieve true equality. As advancements continue, it is vital to frame this movement as one of inclusion and equality rather than competition.
References
- Cobble, D. S. (2020). The Other ILO Founders: 1919 and Its Legacies. In Women's ILO (pp. 27-49). Brill.
- Hardey, M. (2019). The Culture of Women in Tech: An Unsuitable Job for a Woman. Emerald Group Publishing.
- Heathfield, S. M. (2017). Women and work: Then, now, and predicting the future for women in the workplace. Human Resources.
- Karoly, L. A., Panis, C., & Panis, C. (2014). The 21st century at work: Forces shaping the future workforce and workplace in the United States. Rand Corporation.
- Kergroach, S. (2017). Industry 4.0: New challenges and opportunities for the labor market. Форайт, 11(4).
- Lai, B. G. (2016). A History Of Activism Of The Guamanian Women's Social Movement: From The Fourth World Conference On Women In Beijing 1995 To Present (Doctoral dissertation, Columbia University).
- Lucas, C. J. (2016). American higher education: A history. Springer.
- Ruiz, A. (2020). The Impact of Women on Labor Force Participation. International Labor Office.
- Heathfield, S. M. (2017). The Future of Women in the Workforce: Trends and Predictions. Human Resources.
- Kergroach, S. (2017). New Challenges for the Labor Market: Industry 4.0. Форайт, 11(4).