Women’s economic empowerment is not a luxury – Latest News

magilinda
shore

project
March 8, 2024 – 10:54

The most dangerous phrase that continues to circulate in our language is “we have always done it this way”. Today is 8 March and the main phrase we hear everywhere is Women’s Day. Therefore, our speech today is undoubtedly directed to women, who continue to face inequality and discrimination in all areas of economic life. Mothers in the Western Balkans suffer from a severe lack of support for childcare and elderly care services, which affects their employment. Only 24% of mothers with children under 8 years old have access to kindergarten. Fewer care services mean more unemployed women. The female employment rate in the Western Balkans, although it has increased over the past three years, is still around 45%, which compares poorly to the male employment rate in the region, which is around 63%.

Women’s economic empowerment is not a luxury, and cultural relativism is not an excuse. The Western Balkans lose 5% of GDP each year due to the gap caused by women’s participation as entrepreneurs, while the loss of GDP could be 20% higher if women participated in the labor market at the same level as men. It is surprising that awareness of women’s economic capabilities is so limited given the profound impact of women’s work on our economy. Lack of work, legal protection, low social support, lack of care facilities, limited access to productive resources are all obstacles to women putting their skills to work and thus taking advantage of new employment opportunities.

The less power women have, the more violence is directed at them. “Across the Western Balkans, women are routinely harassed, raped, raped and killed by their partners, even when they have repeatedly reported the violence to the authorities.” Black statistics like these keep popping up, and they’re incomplete, but the data that exists shows it. It’s scary.

One in four female homicide victims are killed in their own homes, with more than half killed by their husbands or ex-husbands.

I am writing this note today for a reason. Because, I am a woman, and I know very well how awkward and difficult it is to talk about the realities of being a woman today.

But I am sure you also agree that if we empower women, they will empower our economy,” said RCC Secretary General Majlinda Bregu in the latest episode of TalkingPoint on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Clarification: All opinions in this column reflect solely the opinions of the author and not necessarily those of NGB “Zeri” LLC