Making economic equality a reality: the unfinished business of our time
Mar 08 2025 • 6 min read • Women's Day
Every year, International Women’s Day reminds us to pause and reflect on the world we are creating. Are we moving toward a future where every woman and girl can reach her full potential? Or are we still asking them to navigate systems that weren’t built for them?
Just only in 2023, Claudia Goldin became the first woman to win a solo Nobel Prize in Economics —an achievement that it itself amplifies the message of research: gender equality in the workplace . Her research highlighted a stark truth, that we believe should become more evident in the discourse on gender parity: the gender pay gap is no longer about equal pay for equal work, but rather about making the invisible visible. It shines a light on workplace structures that reward overwork, overlook the cost of caregiving, raising families and all the invisible penalties women face for simply being women.
In 2025, there are still no countries in the world where the economic gender gap has been closed or is even close to it! There is work to be done.
It’s Time to Make the Invisible, Visible
At a time when some organisations are quietly rolling back their DEI commitments, the businesses that will lead in the future are those that double down on inclusion, not retreat from it. Economic gender equality is not just about pay—it’s about who gets access to opportunities, who is seen and heard in decision-making, and whose contributions are recognised and valued. Businesses play a critical role in making the invisible visible by redesigning work structures to reflect the realities of modern life, where women still shoulder the majority of unpaid labor. This means moving beyond performative statements and embedding equity into the core of how work is designed—whether through transparent pay audits, rethinking leadership pipelines, funding women entrepreneurs, or leveraging data to uncover and close gender gaps at every level.
Companies like Unilever, Mastercard, Vodacom and Discovery have demonstrated that embedding gender equality into business strategy drives innovation, strengthens brand loyalty, and improves financial performance. As some organizations pull back, there is a risk of regression that will impact not just women but long-term business resilience. The choice is clear: companies can either lead the way in shaping a more equitable future—or risk being observers in a world that increasingly rewards inclusivity, innovation, and impact.
Why Investing in Women is Investing in Our Collective Future
Women are not just participants in the economy; they are drivers of growth and innovation. Studies show that companies with diverse leadership outperform their peers, and businesses founded by women generate higher revenue per dollar invested. In fact, research from BCG found that if women and men participated equally as entrepreneurs, global GDP could rise by $5 trillion.
Melinda Gates has long championed this cause, arguing that investing in women is the most powerful way to accelerate social and economic progress. Because when women succeed, they reinvest in their families, their communities, and the next generation.
A Future Where ALL Women and Girls Thrive
The most important question is not if we can achieve equality, but how soon we are willing to make it happen. Because every year we delay, another generation of women and girls is asked to fight the same battles we should have already won.
Lily Zheng's FAIR Framework is a human-centered approach designed to build organizations that are Fair, Accessible, Inclusive, and Representative for all. It offers a guide from which we can start to take action and close the economic gender gap. It emphasizes four key principles: focusing on measurable outcomes over mere intentions; implementing systemic changes rather than individual interventions; fostering broad coalitions instead of exclusive groups; and pursuing win-win solutions rather than zero-sum scenarios. This framework aims to create workplaces where everyone can succeed without discrimination, fully participate, feel valued, and trust their representatives to act in their best interests.
Data-Powered Action: The Key to Accelerating Gender Equality
At Yugrow, we believe that leveraging data is the key to closing the economic gender gap—not just by understanding where women are in their careers, but by supporting them with tailored, data-driven pathways for growth. By using insights to define personalised development journeys, we ensure that women receive the right support at the right time, helping them thrive in business, leadership and beyond.
At the same time, organisations need data-driven intelligence to build truly inclusive workplaces. We provide corporate insights that illuminate hidden barriers, track progress, and guide strategic interventions, enabling companies to take targeted, high-impact actions that accelerate gender equality. Because closing the gender gap isn’t just about commitment—it’s about using the right tools to drive measurable, lasting change.
This International Women’s Day, let’s move beyond celebration to action. Let’s commit to a future where every woman and girl has the opportunity to lead, innovate, and thrive.