Women are the agents of growth, and their contribution to the advancement of a country is every bit as significant as the contribution of men. The gender pay gap in the workplace continues to be a global problem, despite this. Approximately 50% of women of working age participated in the labor force worldwide in 2015, compared to 77 percent of males, according to the United Nations Statistics Division.

The number of working females in the Gulf area is also relatively low if we limit ourselves to only that region. Another factor contributing to the low participation rates among women professionals is the many obstacles they confront in the workplace. However, there are many Arab women who have defied the obstacles and earned a name for themselves not just in the area but also across the world. They include:

Competition

The Gulf nations, particularly the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and Qatar, are often regarded as having some of the world's most competitive labor markets, according to international standards. Discovering rewarding employment opportunities in the Gulf area is tough, especially in the current economic climate of the region, where the number of job searchers much outnumbers the number of positions available. Consequently, for female workers to establish their values, it has become imperative that they stand out in the workplace and make a statement. Make yourself indispensable at your place of employment so that your bosses will not consider replacing you with someone else.

Research

Women in the area still have trouble getting jobs, despite the fact that they have a high level of education. It is possible that this is a lack of understanding about what talents are in demand in the job market, which is true for both male and female workers. As a result, if you want to develop in your job, it is critical that you investigate the abilities that companies consider to be desired. Indeed, even the skill requirements for executing the professions that you have been doing for many years have changed over time as technology advances. One strategy to guarantee that you remain at the top of your game is to keep track of the always-changing criteria and focus on broadening your skillset.

Conveyance

Another key factor that deters women from pursuing decent professions in the area is the need to travel to and from work. Female professionals find it incredibly difficult to travel to their places of employment in nations such as Saudi Arabia, where females are not permitted to drive. It is true that some firms offer transportation services to their workers, and we can only hope that the number of organizations providing this service continues to grow. Those who do not have access to such services could enlist the assistance of their husbands and family members or, if finances permit, hire a driver or carpool with another working woman who may be able to commute.

Conclusion

There is still time in terms of achieving wage equality between men and women. The good news is that many powerful women are expressing their opinions and calling attention to the problem in order to make it better. Even though the battle will be protracted, equal pay for women does not seem to be an impossibility anymore.