Professional Documents
Culture Documents
In industrial countries of the developed world they have become more than equal to males. In the
past four decades the proportion of women who have paid jobs has gone up from below half to 64
%. There are, however, differences from country to country. While in Scandinavian countries almost
three quarters of all women have a job, the number of females on the labor force in southern and
eastern Europe is only about 50%.
The role of women has changed drastically during the 20th century. In the early 1900s female
workers were employed mainly in factories or worked as servants. In the course of time they got
more educated and started working as nurses, teachers, even doctors and lawyers.
In the 1960s, women, for the first time, were able to actively plan their families. Birth control
pills and other contraceptives made it possible for women to have a career, family or even both.
Many went to high school and college and sought a job. In the 1970s women in developed
countries started to become a major part of the workforce.
More females in the workforce have brought along many advantages for industries and employers.
They have a wider variety of workers to choose from and women often have better ideas and make
positive contributions to how things are done.
Additional workers also help the economy thrive. They spend money and contribute to the growth
of national income. In many countries they provide extra income for a country whose population is
getting older and older. In America, economists think that the GDP is 25% larger than it would be
without women on the workforce.
According to a new survey about one billion women are expected to enter the workforce in the
next decade. This should not only contribute to economic growth but also improve gender
equality.
Even though women should be treated equally, they still get, on average, about 18% less pay for the
same work. Females suffer from inequalities in other areas too.
Words
according to = as said by ….
actively = here: to get involved in; to do something about a situation
additional = extra
advantage = the good side of something
although = while
billion = a thousand million
birth control pill = pill that women take to prevent them from getting a baby
century = a hundred years
CEO = chief executive officer = the president or boss of a large company
child care = to look after a child
consider =think, believe
contraceptive = drug, object or method that prevents a woman from getting a baby
contribution = something you can offer or give
currently = right now
decade = a period of ten years
developed world = rich, industrial countries
developing countries =poor countries of Asia, Africa and South America
discriminate against = to treat a person or a group of people in an unfair way
drastically = very much
economist = a person who is an expert in financial things and the economy
economy = the way in which a country’s money and goods are produced
educate = to go to a higher school
employ = to give work
equal = the same
especially = above all
experience = when something happens
female = woman
fulfillment = being happy or satisfied with your life because you have everything you need
GDP = gross domestic product = the value of all the products and services that a country
produces in one year
gender equality = when men and women have the same chances, get the same pay etc…
high-ranking = top, well-paid
however = but
improve = to get better
in the course of time = as time goes on
inequality = a situation when two things are not the same
introduce = start, set up
issue = topic
keen on = like
labor force = all the people who work in a country
lawyer = someone who represents people in court and knows a lot about the laws of a country
mainly = mostly
major = very important
manage = deal with
nevertheless = but, however
opportunity = chance
proportion = share
provide = give
quota = here: the number of women that should work in a certain place
raise = bring up, care for
rank = the position you have in a list
search = look for
seek – sought = look for
servant = someone who is paid to do housework
standstill = when something stops growing
suffer = to feel bad about
survey = questions that you ask people in order to find out how they think about something
take leave = to stop working and stay at home to care for a baby
thrive = increase, go up, boom
variety = selection, range