Gendered-stereotypes in labour market influence preferences for ‘pink-collar’ jobs, say experts

AMMAN — Negative social perceptions and attitudes towards women in the labour market have defined and shaped “pink-collar” professions in Jordan, according to experts.

“Pink-collar professions are those which are traditionally dominated by women, most of which are care or service based jobs such as teaching, child-care and nursing,” women’s empowerment specialist Shayma Awad told The Jordan Times in an interview on Sunday.

Despite the high level of education among Jordanian women, they remain typically underrepresented in senior posts, and are concentrated in jobs and professions that adjust to their families, and sometimes society’s preferences, Awad added.

Speaking with The Jordan Times, Wafaa Al Manaseer, a hair stylist, said that she chose the profession because it is a “women only” business.

“I had two options: Either I stay at home and raise my child, or have a career that does not cause problems with my husband,” she said.

Similarly, Madaba resident Wadha Mansour, 42, told The Jordan Times that “my father allowed me to work only because I am the only breadwinner in our house”, noting that Jordanian women in her area are engaged in fieldwork, child-care services and home-based businesses.

In Jordan, women are largely employed in professions that “are far removed from leadership or decision-making…”, according to the National Strategy for Women in Jordan 2020-2025.

The strategy outlines that change is necessary to transform existing negative social attitudes that emerged from gender discrimination through mainstreaming the principles of equality, justice and human rights.

“There are still certain positions that are blocked from women’s participation,” according to the strategy. Jordanian women who live in remote areas of the Kingdom face particular difficulties in applying for jobs. Furthermore, women have less opportunities to acquire vocational skills, limiting their ability to compete for economic opportunities offered by the local labour market.

“Existing household stereotyped roles… continue to influence women’s employment choices in already saturated labour market specialisations,” the 2020-2025 strategy said. The largest proportion of women in Jordan, is employed in the educational sector, administrative and service professions, according to the strategy.

Therefore, the public sector continues to be more attractive to women due to fewer working hours and its compatibility with societal norms, the strategy said.

The Director of the Phenix Centre for Economics and Informatics Studies Ahmad Awad said in recent statements that “the gender pay gap in Jordan remains unresolved,” emphasising the need for sufficient statistical data related to women’s employment rates in different sectors.

The existence of professions that are primarily dominated by women could be explained due to “what people view as socially acceptable and what is considered a taboo”, sociologist Hussein Khozahe told The Jordan Times.

There is this presumption that women, particularly those who are married, prioritise their family duties. This undermines their economic prospects and makes men more likely to get noticed by employers, Khozahe said.