KUALA LUMPUR: Employer related issues topped the list of factors which prevented equality between women and men.
This was revealed in a global survey on “What Helps or Hinders Women’s Equality?” conducted by Ipsos, a market research company.
It was carried out to mark the International Women’s Day celebration this Sunday (March 8) themed “I am Generational Equality: Realising Women’s Rights.”
The survey was an international sample of close to 20,000 adults conducted via the Ipsos Online Panel system in 27 countries such as Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Malaysia, Netherlands, America, as well as Malaysia.
The top three barriers highlighted globally as the most important factors in stopping women from achieving equality are employers not doing enough to close the gender salary gap, employers not doing enough to help women combine work and caring responsibilities; and employers not promoting enough women to senior positions.
Over in Malaysia, employers not helping women to balance work and care responsibilities was seen as the most important factor in stopping women from achieving equality with men, followed by too few women in positions of political power and the government not playing its role in promoting equality.
However, globally, men’s perspectives on equality differed as they felt that it has already been achieved.
In Malaysia, 17 per cent of those who participated in the survey believed that the women and men were already equal, compared to an average of 13 per cent globally.
Some 47 per cent said that most progress has been made with women in Malaysia having reached chief executive officers or board positions over the last 25 years, by having women represented in government and politics, women having equal access to education and women having senior positions in businesses.
The survey also found that Malaysians said confidence was an important factor in helping women succeed, followed by intelligence, being brave and working hard.
For Malaysian men, it was working hard, being competent and intelligent that would assist them to get ahead.
Ipsos Malaysia managing director Arun Menon said the often repeated phrase “Women’s rights are human rights” is a call to action for accelerating gender parity all over the world.
“International Women’s Day reminds us that global gender equality still has a long way to go. It is important that actual, tangible changes are done to improve the opportunities and working conditions of female employees.
“We firmly believe that conversation and recognition will lead to greater reform in the space of gender equality,” he said.