Angélica Fuentes: Women face psychosocial dilemmas in the professional field

Not only the «glass ceiling» limits women’s empowerment; there is another obstacle of a psychosocial nature that segregates women in the professional field, describes Angélica Fuentes, businesswoman and defender of female rights.

In 1992, the sociologist Catherine Bernheide introduced the term «sticky ground,» which refers to the obstacles women face due to gender issues in the labor market and describes how difficult it is to access management or better-paid positions.

Sticky ground

Since then, the term that has been theoretically identified as a kind of anchor that prevents women from seeking better job opportunities; is immersed in the dynamics of the «glass ceiling,» constituting a cyclical and flawed process that limits female empowerment, says Angélica Fuentes.

«The ‘glass ceiling’ and the ‘sticky ground’ equally limit the development of the female workforce in all areas. Both situations feed on each other. If women assume all the family responsibilities, their possibilities to assume a management position are limited. At the same time, if they have greater obstacles to climb in the professional hierarchical structure, they accept jobs with precarious hours and remuneration», explains Angélica Fuentes.

The businesswoman details that both limitations are the product of the archetypes in which women have been classified, assuming that they only have the skills to function as mothers, homemakers, or in care work.

This situation has been documented in the report «Inequalities and the world of work 2021» by the United Nations (UN).

While women dedicate four hours and 25 minutes a day to work in unpaid care, men spend only one hour and 23 minutes in the same activities.

«This inequality deters women from advancing in their careers,» says Angélica Fuentes.

Angélica Fuentes advocates for gender equality

The World Bank forecasts that if the gender gap disappears at all levels, global GDP would increase between €12 trillion to €28 trillion by 2025.

However, the World Bank highlights that by eliminating concepts such as «sticky floor» from the dictionary, the fracture due to gender issues will continue to generate losses estimated at 160 billion dollars.

Angélica Fuentes said that the labor loop in which millions of women are immersed globally could be reversed by a cultural change in which business and government policies include a gender perspective.

«One of the main tools that we must encourage to eradicate gender inequality is women’s training. Preparation is empowerment» says the businesswoman.

And she emphasizes that making the concept of «sticky ground» visible, would be a proactive step to eradicate labor and professional difficulties that foster inequality.

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