By Jing Lau

Women in general face barriers in climbing the upper levels of management, a stark reality in Asia. The number of women in the workforce and in management has been small and slowly decreasing. Nevertheless, women participation in a male dominated arena is getting stronger.  Below is comparison of laws and issues facing women in some Asian countries.

However contrary to the above, Women empowerment in India is still a distant dream. Although India is developing economically and technologically by leaps and bounds, women there still continue to be discriminated against. With illegal female infanticide on the rise, authorities need to check the growing imbalance in the society.  The percentage of women in management in India is roughly 3% to 6%, 2 with approximately 2% of Indian women managers in Indian corporations. Almost 96% of women workers are in the unorganized sector.

In Japan, since the Equal Employment Opportunity Law was passed in 1985, women have become a common sight on factory floors, at construction sites and behind the wheels of taxis. But they have had much less success reaching positions of authority, which remain the preserve of gray-suited salarymen. In 1985, women held just 6.6 percent of all management jobs in Japanese companies and government, according to the International Labor Organization, a United Nations agency. By 2005, that number had risen to only 10.1 percent, though, Japan’s 27 million working population women made up nearly half of its work force.

China's Employment Situation and Policies, says that the "Constitution of the People's Republic of China (PRC) ", the "Labor Law of the PRC", and the "Law of the PRC on Safeguarding Women's Rights and Interests" all contain special provisions for safeguarding women's right to employment.

In China, both the labour participation gap between men and woman and the wage income gap between men and woman are narrow. This is mainly because the Chinese government encourages women to find jobs and support themselves. The principle of “Equal between man and woman” also contributes to this. In addition to this, the policy of “lower salary, more job position” is also a factor.

However, women have often been the first to be laid off as state-owned enterprises have down-sized and become more efficient. Millions of women have lost their job. One study showed that while women make up 40 percent of the factory work force they account for 60 percent of the laid off workers. Women are more likely to get lower-level jobs and be unemployed than men. The unemployment rate for women in 2000 was 13 percent compared to 6.4 for men.

In Malaysia, the Government has ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women where, “…discrimination against women shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction mode on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing of nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field.” Malaysia ranks fifth globally for senior positions held by women in medium to large enterprises (MLEs). Almost four in 10 MLEs (39%) have three or more women holding senior positions.

Grant Thornton International Business Report, study found the Philippines to have the highest percentage of women in senior management at 47%. This is followed by Russia (42%), Thailand (38%) and Poland (32%). Countries that have the fewest women in top posts are Japan (7%), Belgium (12%) and Denmark (13%).

Surprisingly,Turkish women were the most successful in increasing their share of management roles, with the figure rising from 17% in 2007 to 29% on the year 2008.  Mexican women also won more senior posts, increasing their slice of the pie from 20% in 2007 to 31% on FY2008. Canada increased its proportion of women leaders from 19% in 2007 to 28% on the next year.

Women lost the most ground in Brazil, where their percentage in top posts plunged from 42% in 2007 to 29% last year.  Globally, sectors with the highest percentage of women in leading positions are health and education (35%) and hospitality (34%).

The worst drop is in financial services, where women lost ground from 31% in 2007 to 26% on 2008.

Although there are laws and acts in place to protect women, the the performance of these laws needs improvement.  However, it is encouraging that more women are emerging in a male-dominated business environment.

References:

• http://www.merinews.com/article/women-empowerment-in-india-still-a-distant-dream/124708.shtml
• http://www.shrmindia.org/perspectives-women-management-india
• http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/world/asia/06equal.html
• www.napier.ac.uk/randkt/rktcentres/eri/projects/.../ChinaWP1.pdf
• http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=365&catid=9&subcatid=60
• http://www.theedgemalaysia.com/management/13265-malaysian-women-hold-3-in-10-mle-management-posts.htm
• Http: //www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-04/26/content_326369.htm