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Recession Time for Equal Opportunities

Written by: Carrie Langstroth

Article Overview: While equal opportunities may seem to be clouded by recession, it is still too early to make a judgment. One can choose to stand out in a crowd if prepared to embrace the new while the old passes away.

Recession Time for Equal Opportunities

Equal opportunities is a term used to suggest the nurturing of an environment in which people of varying backgrounds, gender, minority groups, or ethnicity can have equal access to employment, education, health care, and other privileges.

Some countries like the US and UK have legally incorporated equal opportunity so as to protect their citizen's rights in this regard. These laws entail that an equal opportunity employer will invite application for a job from all people and make their choice based on merit and in all fairness, will not withhold a position from anyone based on gender or ethnicity.

Impact of recession on employment based on gender

Past recessions where characterized by an increase in the employment of women in positions previously reserved for men. This trend was noticed in the western world during the 1930s and during the time of World War II. The current recession however, has a different result. Two different trends have been observed in the nations of the developed economies as opposed to those of the developing economies.

In the US while a large share of the men who lost jobs returned to the labor market to find a job, a larger share of women stayed employed or were employed afresh during the period. This was mainly due to the booming health care sector which is a woman dominated sphere of employment.

In Canada also a larger share of men lost their jobs. This again can be attributed to the result of the male-dominated industries that were hit by the recession, like the construction industry. Developed Europe also saw the same trend except for UK where, twice the number of women lost their jobs, or experienced pay cuts as opposed to men.

In the developing nations the scenario is not so easily measured due to the absence of sex-disaggregated surveys. However, it is evident from the kind of labor that has been affected that women have been the most hard-hit by this recession.



During this time of economic recession, greatest importance is given to those who can adapt, do the job faster, more efficiently, and at a lower price. It is only natural that employers seek to retain such individuals while they let go of others. The competition is not between differing genders, age, and skin color. Those who are ready to regroup, and find the 'new normal' will stand in the end.

Certain kinds of industries have been proven to never run dry as far as opportunities go. Use this time to divert your skills into those channels. Utilize your potential to its fullest by honing your skills or developing new ones so that your marketability is noticed even by the weary employer. There is speculation about the great gender imbalance seen in the stock brokerage industries and in the boardrooms of banks that have collapsed - would they have done differently if women decision makers were present in their crucial meetings? Some countries in Europe have adopted 40% seats for women in the government. Only time will tell if this will benefit the collective decision making of those nations.

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Article Tags: equal opportunities, recession
Referred by: http://jaykubassek.com



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