IWD: challenges ahead

In a recent op-ed, Aga Khan University President Dr. Sulaiman Shahabuddin explains gender achievement gap in education and careers, which extends across numerous domains. Women are severely underrepresented in political and corporate leadership and often lack the ability to make basic decisions within households. Globally, the proportion of women employed in the better-paid and more secure formal sector has remained stagnant since 1990, standing at 53 percent for women compared to 80 percent for men. Achieving economic equality could increase global wealth by trillions of dollars, benefiting both men and women and enhancing the capacity of organisations to fulfill their objectives. “As the president of the Aga Khan University, I take pride in leading an institution where two-thirds of our students and half of our faculty members are women. While we have certainly played a role in empowering women, it's clear that they have had an even greater impact on empowering our university. Their contributions have been indispensable to AKU’s growth and success over the last 40 years," argues President Shahabuddin.