117 years from now, we will achieve global gender parity in the workplace. That’s right, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report for 2015, equal opportunities will be accredited to the currently under-tapped and under-utilized female talent pool by the year 2133. Yeah… we’ll all be long gone before we can be witnesses to the closing of the gap.
The urgency of addressing the alarming stats and estimations from this study and many others is emphasized through this year’s International Women’s Day theme of taking the Pledge for Parity to break the boundaries that prevent women from reaching their highest potential. Sure, we can all make promises to join the fight to #changetheratio, but how can we start chipping away at this grand mountain of a problem and begin accelerating progress? What is one tangible step we can take to ensure gender parity is even possible in our lifetime?
For women to begin to make a difference, we have to join forces. Only when we stand up together will we recognize our full potential and utilize our combined powers.
Image Credit: Jacquelynne Kosmicki