The publication, titled "Gender equality in supply chains: How ILO interventions foster gender equality in outcomes in supply chains", explores the systemic barriers faced by women workers globally and presents practical interventions that have proven effective in fostering meaningful change.
Persistent gaps despite high participation
Women make up 40 per cent of the supply chain workforce, yet remain underpaid, underrepresented and undervalued.
Despite high participation rates exceeding 80 percent in sectors such as garments, women continue to experience a range of structural disadvantages. These include lower wages compared to men in similar roles, underrepresentation in traditionally male-dominated jobs, limited career advancement opportunities and persistent stereotypes that confine women to certain lower skilled and lower paid roles.
The brief highlights that these inequalities not only affect women directly but also undermine the resilience and sustainability of supply chains. Addressing them, therefore, is not just a moral imperative but also an economic necessity.
Targeted interventions for systemic change
The ILO emphasizes that piecemeal solutions are insufficient. Instead, comprehensive interventions are needed to tackle root causes of inequality. Examples highlighted in the brief include:
- Strengthening protections against workplace harassment and discrimination.
- Promoting safe and healthy working conditions across industries.
- Expanding access to skills development and leadership training tailored to women.
- Building social capital by supporting networks and collective action.
- Ensuring equitable distribution of unpaid care work, rethinking traditional caregiving roles and responsibilities.
By addressing both immediate needs and structural barriers, these interventions create conditions where women can thrive, while simultaneously reinforcing the overall efficiency and inclusiveness of supply chains.
The role of data and policy innovation
A central theme of the brief is the importance of gender-disaggregated data. Reliable data enables governments, employers, and workers' organizations to identify inequities and design targeted, evidence-based policies. Without such data, gender disparities often remain invisible and unaddressed.
A coordinated and global approach
By presenting its findings in thematic clusters, the ILO provides a framework for policymakers, employers, and social partners to collaborate effectively. This approach acknowledges that progress in one area-such as equal pay-can have multiplier effects in others, such as improved representation and safer workplaces.
At the heart of the ILO's message is that achieving gender equality in supply chains is not an isolated goal but part of a broader global agenda for decent work, sustainable development, and inclusive growth.
