Gender gap at work far worse than expected: United Nations

15% of working-age women globally would like to work, but do not have a job, compared to 10.5% of men, according to new data

Women have a harder time accessing work globally than previously thought, while the gender gap in working conditions and pay has barely budged in two decades, the United Nations said on March 6.

The UN's International Labour Organisation said it had developed a new indicator that does a better job than official unemployment rates at capturing all people without employment that are interested in finding work.

"It paints a much bleaker picture of the situation of women in the world of work than the more commonly-used unemployment rate," the ILO said in a statement, two days before International Women's Day.

"The new data shows that women still have a much harder time finding a job than men."

According to new ILO data, 15% of working-age women globally would like to work, but do not have a job, compared to 10.5% of men.

"This gender gap has remained almost unchanged for two decades," it said.

By contrast, official unemployment rates for women and men are very similar.