How does Hong Kong compare with Europe when it comes to women-friendly workplaces?
Sweden tops the list as the best place in the world for women to work, while the city still has a long way to go before making significant progress in this aspect
From low childcare costs to paid leave for mothers and fathers, some European countries, especially Scandinavian ones, have long been lauded for their high degree of gender equality.
“Without sufficient family-friendly measures such as flexible work arrangements, many women continue to struggle with striking a balance between their work and responsibilities at home,” a commission spokesman says.
Is gender pay inequality a problem in Hong Kong?
A 2018 glass ceiling index study by The Economist looked into several areas such as labour force participation and childcare cost of 29 developed countries and cities. The study, released in February, ranked Sweden as the best place for working women, with the highest participation rate for the female work force and largest share of women in parliament.
Just below Sweden are Norway and Iceland, which recently legalised gender pay equality.
The study did not cover Hong Kong but suggested South Korea, Japan and Turkey as the three worst places for working women.
Many Hong Kong women face greater stress as they are squeezed between poorest and better off
Here is how Hong Kong measures up when it comes to indicators for gender equality:
