This opinion article by Kiran Kaur (Co-founder and CEO of GirlDreamer) was published in Alliance Magazine.
Throughout UK history, affirmative action has been fundamental in advancing gender equality, with our government, communities, and numerous independent organisations each contributing to this cause—a fact deserving of recognition and celebration. Yet, today, government commitment, particularly in funding, appears to be wavering. Such unforgivable negligence will have devastating consequences for women who, despite the significant steps taken toward equality, continue to face significant challenges.
In recent decades, steps toward greater gender equality have been felt across UK society. In the workplace and government, for instance, women’s representation in key positions has risen steadily. The pay gap, also, continues to shrink, especially amongst younger workers, and women continue to achieve better results than men in further education. Breakthroughs in government legislation in recent years have also cemented the struggle against structural limitations and improved the options available for women seeking out help.
Despite these advances, however, women continue to experience significant challenges. For example, while the pay gap has shrunk, progress appears to have stagnated in recent years at 13.5 percent overall, which represents an estimated £55 billion annual difference in national income. This gap is especially pronounced amongst women in older age groups or higher income brackets. Additionally, as of 2020, the pension gap is a staggering 35 percent overall, while other important metrics remain high.