The worst countries in the world for working women

With summer approaching, many of us will be beginning to look forward to a holiday

When we are relaxing in sunnier climes, it’s not uncommon to start fantasising about what life in that country would be like. But the reality can often be much different to the fantasy.

For the vast majority of us, real life involves going to work and for women, the country and economy that you live in can play a big part in your work satisfaction, job opportunities, employment rights and pay – unfortunately, these can often be much less appealing than the sandy beaches and picturesque scenery of your most recent holiday destination.

With International Women’s Day gone, one report surveyed over 8,000 female expats to examine which are the worst countries in the world for a woman to work and why exactly there are still such glaring gender discrepancies in countries across the world.

Greece
At number one of the world’s worst countries for working women was Greece. Given the turbulent state of the Greek economy, it’s hardly surprising that many women feel like their job security and career prospects are depressingly low.

Italy
Italy also doesn’t appear to have a lot to offer for working women. The reports suggest that this is due to the expensive nature of Italian living, coupled with low pay even for highly skilled or professional job roles. The country may be beautiful, but a combination of low pay and high living costs mean that you might not be able to enjoy it as much as you’d like.

Serbia
Expats report that there is a distinct lack of employment stability and few opportunities for work and progression in Serbia. The best opportunities for work, training and education tend to be in the capital.

Argentina
Career satisfaction is all about feeling a sense of achievement and the opportunity to progress. In Argentina, 40% of working women view their career prospects in a negative light. This is double the global average of 20%.

Turkey
Turkey is another country with an unstable economy and it has ranked highly in the list of the worst countries for working women for many years. High earning job opportunities are few and far between.

Myanmar
A beautiful country notorious for its culture and charm, Myanmar is still not a great location for career-minded women, with less than half of those surveyed viewing their work situation positively.

South Africa
Safety concerns and job security play a big part in why women living in South Africa feel dissatisfied with their working life.

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