Despite growing female participation in the workforce, gender equality remains a distant goal, with progress largely stalled, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has warned in a recent report. The financial giant estimates that at the current pace, it will take 134 years to close the global gender gap across economic and political participation, education, and health.
While women now represent 32% of senior leadership roles worldwide, they remain significantly underrepresented in executive decision-making positions. In the U.S., just 10% of the most influential corporate roles—CEO, COO, and CFO—are held by women, with high-paying jobs still dominated by white men.
The gender pay gap remains a persistent issue, widening with age. In the U.S., young female workers (16–24 years old) earn 8% less than men, while the gap expands to 16% for prime-age workers (25–54 years old) and 22% for those aged 55–64. Among workers 65 and older, women earn 27% less than men. Even in Europe, where workplace participation among women has reached record levels, the gender pay gap has stagnated at 13%, while some countries have seen an alarming 17% increase.
JPMorgan’s findings highlight the deep-rooted structural barriers limiting women’s rise to financial parity. “This persistent gender pay gap is a stark reminder of the systemic inequalities that still exist and the need for ongoing efforts to achieve pay equity,” the report stated.
With the pace of change sluggish, the report serves as a call to action for policymakers and corporations to implement bold measures that go beyond incremental progress.