A long way to go on equality

FIGURES published in advance of International Women’s Day which show the UK ranks 18th out of 27 of the world’s most developed countries when it comes to female economic empowerment underline the inequalities that still exist in today’s workforce.

Though some progress has been made, it has not been nearly as fast or as widespread as it should. In short, the glass ceiling seems to have remained firmly in place.

The gap between male and female salaries has been reduced but it is still higher than in most countries, meaning women are still unlikely to earn a wage commensurate with that of their male colleagues.

And while the number of women in work has increased, the soaring cost of childcare remains a barrier to mothers who want to resume their careers.

Then there is the continued lack of female representation in the upper echelons of companies – despite the growth in the number of successful small businesses owned by women suggesting their business capabilities are in the top tier. And even when women do reach senior positions it’s often in jobs that are traditionally lower paid.

It is therefore little wonder that the new survey by PwC found that nearly a third of those women who make up the so-called “millennial generation” (those born between 1980 and 1995) believe that promotion opportunities continue to be skewed in favour of men.

At a time when so much work is being done in areas such as same-sex marriage and women bishops, it is bitterly ironic, if not downright baffling, that this most basic of inequalities is in danger of being almost completely overlooked.

Companies often talk about championing diversity, but the weight of evidence suggests female workers still operate from an unlevel playing field.

Such inequality is not just wrong from a moral standpoint but, given the talent and dynamism that is being wasted, it is damaging to the economy at both regional and national level.

This is not about promoting people simply on the grounds of their sex, but creating a culture where the most talented are given the opportunities to climb the ladder and to lead, regardless of their gender.

Until real progress is made on redressing this long-standing imbalance, the corporate world – and the country as a whole – will be the poorer.

A mask of beauty

Rural poverty is being overlooked

YORKSHIRE’S iconic scenery may have been instrumental in securing the Tour de France but it also masks a deep-seated problem – a troubling rise in instances of rural poverty.

While the focus of campaigners and politicians is fixed on deprived urban areas, the plight of those living in the countryside has a nasty habit of being obscured by the beauty of their surroundings.

This is despite the fact that the largely rural constituency of East Yorkshire is home to the highest concentration of low-paid workers in the county. Skipton, Ripon and Richmond are also among the five areas where the earnings of the greatest number of people are no longer meeting the basic costs of day-to-day life.

In such places it is local voluntary and community organisations that are left to pick up the pieces. Yet just as these groups experience a spike in demand for their services, many are seeing funding cuts which force them to reduce the help they offer to the vulnerable.

Despite the evidence of increased need in rural areas, a report published today by the Yorkshire and Humber Rural Network finds that rural areas are still getting a raw deal.

This inequality is doubly damaging given that the more rural the area,

the greater the income needed to reach a living standard comparable to urban areas.

While the Labour government played to its urban support, rural communities were justified in expecting more from a coalition led by a party which has traditionally championed the countryside.

A greater understanding of the unique needs of rural communities, coupled with more appreciation for the role played by those voluntary organisations within them, would be a step in the right direction.

Is this spring?

After wettest winter in 250 years

FOR all those who have been debating when spring gets under way, the answer may soon be at hand.

Though winter officially ended on the last day of February, this weekend looks set to mark the start of the warmer weather with temperatures in some areas rising up to 17C, or 63F.

While it is unlikely to be quite that warm in Yorkshire, at least the region was spared the worst of the most extreme conditions of the last few months.

Those in flood-hit parts of the country will certainly be relieved at the thought of a sunnier, drier outlook in the days and weeks to come.

Last year saw the coldest spring since 1962 and the fifth chilliest since records began in 1910. This winter has been the wettest in at least 248 years, and the fifth warmest since 1910.

The issue of climate change may stoke fierce debate on both sides, but for a country known for its fascination with the weather these extremities provide plenty of talking points. Not to mention an almighty headache for those forecasters tasked with predicting what will come next.