Latest news with #GlobalGenderGapReport
Daily Mirror
28-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Womens' desperate escape bids from Saudi Arabia 'secret rehabilitation prisons'
Women without prospect of leaving have mounted desperate bids to escape from Dar al-Reaya 'care homes' after allegedly being subject to abusive 'hell' conditions Saudi Arabian women have claimed the country has secret women's prisons that are so "hellish" inmates launch desperate attempts to escape - even at the cost of their own lives. The Middle Eastern nation is famous for its poor record on human rights, having been ranked near-bottom on detailed lists exploring global gender equality. In 2024, the World Economic Forum 's Global Gender Gap Report ranked Saudi Arabia 126 out of 146 countries, with advocacy groups finding they face massive discrimination at home and work. But the problem is much worse than it appears, Saudi nationals have said, as they claim women are sent to prisons for "disobedient" women whose families decide they need rehabilitation. Campaigners speaking to The Guardian have shared harrowing stories of being sent to secure facilities as a punishment for allegedly refusing to "obey" sexual abuse at home. They have claimed they were sent away and then subject to a campaign of flogging, isolation and abuse in a twisted attempt at "rehabilitation" until they "reconcile" with their abusers. Human rights campaigners from ALQST have documented alleged cases of abuse and neglect. The group states it has uncovered wider abuse and neglect, including malnutrition, poor health and hygiene, mistreatment, brutality, denigration and excessive use of solitary confinement at the prisons, known as "care homes" or Dar al-Reaya. Campaigners say they have struggled to speak out about them in their home country, but those who have spoken up claim the conditions are so poor that women have committed or attempted suicide in a desperate bid to escape. In 2017, video footage posted online purportedly showed women trying to jump from the roof of one centre in Mecca. Other inmates - who are unable to leave until they secure permission from their family or a male guardian - have said the arrangement is "like hell". One young Saudi woman told The Guardian: "Every girl growing up in Saudi knows about Dar al-Reaya and how awful it is. It's like hell. I tried to end my life when I found out I was going to be taken to one. I knew what happened to women there and thought 'I can't survive it'." London-based Saudi activist Maryam Aldossari, said women are forced to stay in the hellish prisons until they "accept the rules". She said: "A young girl or woman will stay in there for as long as it takes for her to accept the rules." Women have said they learn about the prisons - which were set up in the 1960s - usually during their early to mid-teens, and that they keep them locked in cycles of vicious abuse. Saudi Arabian officials claim they are used as a "shelter for girls accused or convicted of various crimes" and add that they "rehabilitate the female inmates" with help from psychiatrists. A spokesperson for the Saudi government said the country runs specialist care facilities to support vulnerable groups, including women and children trying to escape domestic violence. The government "categorically rejected claims of enforced confinement, mistreatment, or coercion". The spokesperson said: "These are not detention centres, and any allegation of abuse is taken seriously and subject to thorough investigation…Women are free to leave at any time, whether to attend school, work, or other personal activities, and may exit permanently whenever they choose with no need of approval from a guardian or family member."
IOL News
28-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Women-headed households surge in South Africa, Stats SA reveals
Statistics South Africa has revealed that 42.4% of households are headed by women. Image: Yan Krukau / Pexels More than two-fifths (42.4%) of households in South Africa were headed by women in 2024, Statistics South Africa's (Stats SA) general household survey has revealed. This is amid the persistent gender pay gap and the rise in the unemployment rate in the country. According to the latest World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, South African women are paid between 23% and 35% less than men. According to the survey, the situation was most common in rural areas, particularly in the Eastern Cape (48.8%) and KwaZulu-Natal (46.8%). Women-headed households were least common in Gauteng (37.3%). Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ The household survey, which provides a snapshot of progress achieved in basic government services and identifies persistent service delivery gaps, was released on Tuesday. 'Families and households are profoundly important to the developmental, emotional, and cognitive growth of children, and parents and/or caregivers can play a central role in the development of children,' said Stats SA. The report found that a third (31.4%) of children lived with both parents, while 45.5% lived with only their mothers. More than one-tenth (11.7%) were orphaned, having lost one or both parents. Almost one-fifth (18.8%) of children lived with neither of their biological parents. More than one-quarter (26.9%) of households consisted of a single person, while 39.4% were nuclear households comprising parents and children. The skip generation households, in which grandparents lived with grandchildren, comprised 4.2% of all households. 'The latter was most common in the Eastern Cape (7.7%) and Limpopo (6.9%),' read the report. According to Stats SA, the number of individuals receiving social grants increased from 12.8% in 2003 to 30.9% in 2019. The number surged to 40.1% in 2024 due to the introduction of the special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD). 'Compared to 2019, a much higher percentage of youth received grants in 2024 after the age of 18 due to the introduction of SRD.' The percentage of households that considered social grants as the main source of income increased steadily from 21.3% in 2009 to 28.8% in 2020, before falling back to 23.8% in 2024. Grants were particularly important as a main source of income for households in the Eastern Cape (38.9%), Northern Cape (34.4%), and Limpopo (33.8%). In terms of medical aid access, approximately three out of 20 South Africans had access to a medical aid scheme in 2024. Coverage slightly declined from 15.9% in 2002 to 15.5% in 2024. The highest coverage rates were in Western Cape (25.4%) and Gauteng (21.3%), while the lowest were in Limpopo (10.0%) and KwaZulu-Natal (10.2%). The survey shows that the percentage of households that lived in formal dwellings increased from 73.5% in 2002 to 84.1% in 2024. Nationally, three-fifths (60.1%) of households owned the dwelling they lived in. A further 25.1% rented their dwellings. Between 2002 and 2024, the percentage of households with access to piped or tap water in their dwellings, off-site or on-site, increased by 3.3 percentage points to 87.7%. Households with access to piped water in their dwellings increased from 40.4% to 46.4%. Access to improved sanitation, flush toilets, and pit toilets with ventilation pipes increased from 61.7% in 2002 to 83.1% in 2024. Approximately two-thirds (66.7%) of households used flush toilets (up from 57.3% in 2002), while 16.3% used pit toilets with ventilation pipes (up from 4.4% in 2002). Less than one percent of households did not have access to any form of sanitation. While 46.2% of toilet facilities were located in the dwelling, 49.9% were located in the yard. Cape Times
IOL News
28-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Surge in women-headed households in South Africa amid economic challenges
Statistics South Africa has revealed that 42.4% of households are headed by women. Image: Yan Krukau / Pexels Amid the persistent gender pay gap and the rise in unemployment in the country, more than two-fifths (42.4%) of households in South Africa were headed by women in 2024, Statistics South Africa's (Stats SA) general household survey has shown. According to the latest World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, South African women are paid between 23% and 35% less than men. According to the survey, the situation was most common in rural areas, particularly in the Eastern Cape (48.8%) and KwaZulu-Natal (46.8%). Women-headed households were least common in Gauteng (37.3%). The household survey, which provides a snapshot of progress achieved in basic government services and identifies persistent service delivery gaps, was released on Tuesday. It found that a third (31.4%) of children lived with both parents, while 45.5% lived with only their mothers. More than one-tenth (11.7%) were orphaned, having lost one or both parents. Almost one-fifth (18.8%) of children lived with neither of their biological parents. More than one-quarter (26.9%) of households consisted of a single person, while 39.4% were nuclear households comprising parents and children. The skip generation households, in which grandparents lived with grandchildren, comprised 4.2% of all households. 'The latter was most common in the Eastern Cape (7.7%) and Limpopo (6.9%),' read the report. 'Families and households are profoundly important to the developmental, emotional, and cognitive growth of children, and parents and/or caregivers can play a central role in the development of children." The unemployment rate currently stands at 32.9%, and this could push many South Africans towards social grants. According to Stats SA, the number of individuals receiving social grants increased from 12.8% in 2003 to 30.9% in 2019. The number surged to 40.1% in 2024 due to the introduction of the special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD). 'Compared to 2019, a much higher percentage of youth received grants in 2024 after the age of 18 due to the introduction of SRD.' The percentage of households that considered social grants as the main source of income increased steadily from 21.3% in 2009 to 28.8% in 2020, before falling back to 23.8% in 2024. Grants were particularly important as a main source of income for households in the Eastern Cape (38.9%), Northern Cape (34.4%), and Limpopo (33.8%). In terms of medical aid access, approximately three out of 20 South Africans had access to a medical aid scheme in 2024. Coverage slightly declined from 15.9% in 2002 to 15.5% in 2024. The highest coverage rates were in Western Cape (25.4%) and Gauteng (21.3%), while the lowest were in Limpopo (10.0%) and KwaZulu-Natal (10.2%). Cape Argus
IOL News
27-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- IOL News
Women-headed households surge in South Africa, reveals Stats SA survey
Statistics South Africa has revealed that 42.4% of households are headed by women. Image: Yan Krukau / Pexels More than two-fifths (42.4%) of households in South Africa were headed by women in 2024, Statistics South Africa's (Stats SA) general household survey has revealed. This is amid the persistent gender pay gap and the rise in the unemployment rate in the country. According to the latest World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report, South African women are paid between 23% and 35% less than men. According to the survey, the situation was most common in rural areas, particularly in the Eastern Cape (48.8%) and KwaZulu-Natal (46.8%). Women-headed households were least common in Gauteng (37.3%). Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ The household survey, which provides a snapshot of progress achieved in basic government services and identifies persistent service delivery gaps, was released on Tuesday. 'Families and households are profoundly important to the developmental, emotional, and cognitive growth of children, and parents and/or caregivers can play a central role in the development of children,' said Stats SA. The report found that a third (31.4%) of children lived with both parents, while 45.5% lived with only their mothers. More than one-tenth (11.7%) were orphaned, having lost one or both parents. Almost one-fifth (18.8%) of children lived with neither of their biological parents. More than one-quarter (26.9%) of households consisted of a single person, while 39.4% were nuclear households comprising parents and children. The skip generation households, in which grandparents lived with grandchildren, comprised 4.2% of all households. 'The latter was most common in the Eastern Cape (7.7%) and Limpopo (6.9%),' read the report. The unemployment rate currently stands at 32.9%, and this could push many South Africans towards social grants. According to Stats SA, the number of individuals receiving social grants increased from 12.8% in 2003 to 30.9% in 2019. The number surged to 40.1% in 2024 due to the introduction of the special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress (SRD). 'Compared to 2019, a much higher percentage of youth received grants in 2024 after the age of 18 due to the introduction of SRD.' The percentage of households that considered social grants as the main source of income increased steadily from 21.3% in 2009 to 28.8% in 2020, before falling back to 23.8% in 2024. Grants were particularly important as a main source of income for households in the Eastern Cape (38.9%), Northern Cape (34.4%), and Limpopo (33.8%). In terms of medical aid access, approximately three out of 20 South Africans had access to a medical aid scheme in 2024. Coverage slightly declined from 15.9% in 2002 to 15.5% in 2024. The highest coverage rates were in Western Cape (25.4%) and Gauteng (21.3%), while the lowest were in Limpopo (10.0%) and KwaZulu-Natal (10.2%). The survey shows that the percentage of households that lived in formal dwellings increased from 73.5% in 2002 to 84.1% in 2024. Nationally, three-fifths (60.1%) of households owned the dwelling they lived in. A further 25.1% rented their dwellings. Between 2002 and 2024, the percentage of households with access to piped or tap water in their dwellings, off-site or on-site, increased by 3.3 percentage points to 87.7%. Households with access to piped water in their dwellings increased from 40.4% to 46.4%. The percentage of households with access to municipal water increased from 78.4% in 2004 to 79.8% in 2024, an increase of 6.3 million households. Access to improved sanitation, flush toilets, and pit toilets with ventilation pipes increased from 61.7% in 2002 to 83.1% in 2024. The largest increases were observed in the Eastern Cape (56.5%), Limpopo (35.3%), and KwaZulu-Natal (26.9%). Approximately two-thirds (66.7%) of households used flush toilets (up from 57.3% in 2002), while 16.3% used pit toilets with ventilation pipes (up from 4.4% in 2002). Less than one percent of households did not have access to any form of sanitation. While 46.2% of toilet facilities were located in the dwelling, 49.9% were located in the yard.
Jordan Times
03-05-2025
- Business
- Jordan Times
Jordan ranks 123rd on global gender gap report
Jordan ranks 123rd out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report for the first quarter of 2025 (Petra photo) AMMAN — Jordan ranked 123rd out of 146 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report for the first quarter of 2025. In response to ongoing gender disparities, the Jordanian National Commission for Women and the technical team overseeing the Executive Programme for the Economic Modernisation Vision 2023–2025 have drafted preliminary standards for the proposed 'Institutional Seal,' a certification aimed at promoting women's empowerment in both the public and private sectors. The Ministry of Local Administration has formed an internal committee to review the list of permitted professions within municipalities, based on the National Guide for the Classification of Economic Establishments, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported. The committee is also working to classify unlicensed home-based professions, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply, with the aim of officially recognising and regulating them. In a parallel effort, the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Supply has established a national technical team to support women-owned enterprises in accessing economic opportunities and expanding their market presence, Petra reported. Additionally, the government has outlined a plan to form a national team to develop a strategy for transitioning from informal to formal employment, particularly for women. To improve international data accuracy and transparency, Jordan has signed an agreement with the World Economic Forum to conduct an Executive Opinion Survey for 2025–2026. Coordination is ongoing with relevant institutions to update national indicators on international platforms, including those of UNESCO and the International Labour Organisation (ILO), Petra reported.
