The coronavirus pandemic pushed back gender parity by a generation, according to a new report.
Instead of waiting 99.5 years for equality between genders, women will now have to wait 135.6 years with progress stalling in several large economies and industries, the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021 found.
The UAE bucked this trend, however, and was among the five most improved countries, having shot up 48 places since the 2020 report.
Covid-19's harmful effect on gender parity is in part the result of women being employed in sectors hardest hit by lockdowns and often being the primary caregivers at home, a task made more arduous by schools being closed for much of the past year.
A more surprising contributor to the 2021 deterioration is the widening political gap in several large countries.
Women still hold only 26.1 per cent of parliamentary seats and 22.6 per cent of ministerial positions worldwide.
The WEF estimates that on this trajectory, the political gender gap will take 145.5 years to close compared with the 95 years estimated in 2020 – nearly a 50 per cent increase.
The economic gender gap provides only slightly better news. While more women are in skilled professions, income and managerial disparities endure.
More auspiciously, gender gaps in health and education are nearly closed, the report found, predicting it will take 14.2 years to close the education gap.
Although the UN body Unicef this year said that the pandemic jeopardised the education of 20 million girls worldwide, the report said that 37 countries had reached educational gender parity.
A report by another UN body, Unesco, warned of years of lost learning because of a lack of pandemic stimulus spending on education.
The pandemic has fundamentally impacted gender equality in both the workplace and the home, rolling back years of progress
Education received just 0.8 per cent of the global economic packages designed to mitigate the pandemic, and two thirds of the world’s poorest countries reduced their first post-Covid education budget, compared with one third of the world's richest countries.
If the WEF report’s findings on the educational gender gap can be disputed, most aspects are less contentious.
“The pandemic has fundamentally impacted gender equality in the workplace and the home, rolling back years of progress.” said Saadia Zahidi, WEF managing director.
“If we want a dynamic future economy, it is vital for women to be represented in the jobs of tomorrow.“
The labour market has long been a turbid area for gender parity, with women wading rather than waltzing towards equality.
International Labour Organisation data showed that women lost jobs at a rate of 5 per cent during the pandemic, compared with 3.9 per cent among men. LinkedIn data indicated women are being hired at a slower rate across numerous industries.
Compounding the problem, an Ipsos survey suggested that when care homes closed, housework, child care and elderly care responsibilities fell disproportionately on women, contributing to higher levels of stress and lower levels of productivity.
The global gender gap 2021: best and worst performers
Iceland is the most gender-equal country in the world.
Here is the list of the top 10 according to the 2021 report:
Western Europe is the best-performing region and has improved, with 77.6 per cent of its overall gender gap now closed. At this rate, it will take 52.1 years to close fully, the WEF estimates.
North America is the most-improving region, with 76.4 per cent of the gender gap closed, a rate that would lead to parity in 61.5 years.
Of the worst performers, sub-Saharan Africa is making slow progress, although the report cites Namibia and Rwanda as honourable outliers.
South Asia is the second poorest performer with 62.3 per cent of its gender gap closed.
The Middle East and Africa continue to have the largest gender gap with 39.1 per cent yet to be closed. While there was a slight improvement, the report calls the progress slow, with just 31 per cent of women taking part in the labour force.
UAE confounds overall Middle East performance
The UAE is very much a regional bellwether, and is among the five most improved countries in the entire index.
It performed particularly admirably in political empowerment and economic participation indices.
In the former it ranked 24, a huge leap up the rankings from 2006 when it was ranked 112. In the latter, it ranked 72, another big stride from its 2006 position of 101.
For the third consecutive year the UAE leads all other Arab countries.
Four ways to decrease gender parity gap according to the WEF
1. Further investment in the care sector and equitable access to care leave for working men and women.
2. Policies and practices that proactively focus on overcoming occupational segregation by gender.
3. Effective mid-career skills-development policies for women.
4. Managerial practices that embed sound, unbiased hiring and promotion practices.
“Now, more than ever, it is crucial to focus leadership attention, commit to firm targets and mobilise resources,” Ms Zahidi said.
“This is the moment to embed gender parity by design into the pandemic recovery.”
MATCH INFO
Manchester United 1 (Rashford 36')
Liverpool 1 (Lallana 84')
Man of the match: Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Quick pearls of wisdom
Focus on gratitude: And do so deeply, he says. “Think of one to three things a day that you’re grateful for. It needs to be specific, too, don’t just say ‘air.’ Really think about it. If you’re grateful for, say, what your parents have done for you, that will motivate you to do more for the world.”
Know how to fight: Shetty married his wife, Radhi, three years ago (he met her in a meditation class before he went off and became a monk). He says they’ve had to learn to respect each other’s “fighting styles” – he’s a talk it-out-immediately person, while she needs space to think. “When you’re having an argument, remember, it’s not you against each other. It’s both of you against the problem. When you win, they lose. If you’re on a team you have to win together.”
Scoreline:
Cardiff City 0
Liverpool 2
Wijnaldum 57', Milner 81' (pen)
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
How to report a beggar
Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)
Dubai – Call 800243
Sharjah – Call 065632222
Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372
Ajman – Call 067401616
Umm Al Quwain – Call 999
Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre 6-cyl turbo
Power: 374hp at 5,500-6,500rpm
Torque: 500Nm from 1,900-5,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.5L/100km
Price: from Dh285,000
On sale: from January 2022
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
'Shakuntala Devi'
Starring: Vidya Balan, Sanya Malhotra
Director: Anu Menon
Rating: Three out of five stars
Indika
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
The Farewell
Director: Lulu Wang
Stars: Awkwafina, Zhao Shuzhen, Diana Lin, Tzi Ma
Four stars
Ipaf in numbers
Established: 2008
Prize money: $50,000 (Dh183,650) for winners and $10,000 for those on the shortlist.
Winning novels: 13
Shortlisted novels: 66
Longlisted novels: 111
Total number of novels submitted: 1,780
Novels translated internationally: 66
HOW%20TO%20ACTIVATE%20THE%20GEMINI%20SHORTCUT%20ON%20CHROME%20CANARY
%3Cp%3E1.%20Go%20to%20%3Cstrong%3Echrome%3A%2F%2Fflags%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E2.%20Find%20and%20enable%20%3Cstrong%3EExpansion%20pack%20for%20the%20Site%20Search%20starter%20pack%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E3.%20Restart%20Chrome%20Canary%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E4.%20Go%20to%20%3Cstrong%3Echrome%3A%2F%2Fsettings%2FsearchEngines%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20in%20the%20address%20bar%20and%20find%20the%20%3Cstrong%3EChat%20with%20Gemini%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20shortcut%20under%20%3Cstrong%3ESite%20Search%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E5.%20Open%20a%20new%20tab%20and%20type%20%40%20to%20see%20the%20Chat%20with%20Gemini%20shortcut%20along%20with%20other%20Omnibox%20shortcuts%20to%20search%20tabs%2C%20history%20and%20bookmarks%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
The specs
BMW M8 Competition Coupe
Engine 4.4-litre twin-turbo V8
Power 625hp at 6,000rpm
Torque 750Nm from 1,800-5,800rpm
Gearbox Eight-speed paddleshift auto
Acceleration 0-100kph in 3.2 sec
Top speed 305kph
Fuel economy, combined 10.6L / 100km
Price from Dh700,000 (estimate)
On sale Jan/Feb 2020
Veere di Wedding
Dir: Shashanka Ghosh
Starring: Kareena Kapoo-Khan, Sonam Kapoor, Swara Bhaskar and Shikha Talsania
Verdict: 4 Stars
The years Ramadan fell in May
SPECS
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Yuki Means Happiness
Alison Jean Lester
John Murray
