Decades of Progress on Gender Equality in the Workplace at Risk of Vanishing

Aug 2, 2020 | Pamela Jeffrey
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Five months into the pandemic, the warning lights for female participation in the workplace are flashing furiously as progress made toward gender equality over the past 60 years is at risk of vanishing. According to a new Royal Bank of Canada study, women’s labour force participation is at its lowest level in three decades. As the economy recovers, women are returning to work at a slower pace than men and are more likely to fall out of the work force over time.The good news is, if we act now, we can help the economic recovery happen faster. A 2017 study reported that advancing women’s equality in Canada has the potential to add $150-billion in incremental GDP growth by 2026.Gender equality and the path to prosperity must focus largely on addressing the issues faced by a large majority of women. This means acknowledging the distinct needs of all women, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis, as well as women of colour. The problems facing marginalized women were bad before COVID-19; now they are unbearable.