Some may question why an issue dedicated to women in business. After all, women over the years have more than staked their claim as equals in the world of business, especially in terms of positions, skills and competence. They have long since left behind the aprons and rolling pins associated with stay-at-home moms to build and run their own companies, take up board positions in major corporations,  going on to be world leaders, even in our little island of Jamaica.

So why an issue about women in business? The truth is that the more things appear to change, the more they remain the same. Women still face a number of hurdles relative to business andcorporate equality. Consider the following: Only 3 of the 13 countries in the Caribbean region have between 20 and 30 percent female Parliamentarians; of the 11 countries that have the relevant data, females have 10 – 20 percent lower levels of participation in the labor force. In some countries in the region, it is as much as 40% percent lower. This is despite the fact that secondary and tertiary school female enrolment far exceeds that of males. The 2009 Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica found the enrolment rate of women in tertiary education to be twice that of men.  Yet, this does not translate into data reflecting equal participation in the employment or business marketplace.

As the UN Women Executive Director, Michelle Bachelet stated: “No enduring solution to the major changes of our day – from climate change to political and economic instability can be solved without the full empowerment and participation of the world’s women. We simply can no longer afford to leave women out. Women’s full and equal participation in the political and economic arena is fundamental to democracy and justice, which people are demanding.”

As Jamaica continues to celebrate 50 years of independence and work toward the attainment of goals set out in Vision 2030, it is important that we strive to eliminate any and all kinds of indirect inequality and discrimination based on gender or any other social/biological prejudice.

Forbes Magazine notes that if women were to participate more in the labor force, the Gross Domestic Product would increase globally. An increase of 9% is projected for the US and 13% in the Eurozone, for the Middle East and North Africa increases by as much as 25% are predicted. What are the possibilities for Jamaica? As a country, do we dare fully explore Women Effect Investment?

BUSINESSUITE MAGAZINE shouts an unequivocal YES!

We must strive to achieve higher levels of female participation in the employment and entrepreneurship markets as well as in political decision making. After all, this is much more than just a gender issues, this is an economic development imperative.BM