Our societies are at a critical juncture – a moment of both great challenge and opportunity.
Over the last half century, women have entered every imaginable field, reached the highest levels of management, and now are leading some of the largest companies in the world.
We have discovered life-saving medical cures, traveled to space, and created transformative technologies. The women here today represent this historic achievement – and shine the light towards an even brighter future.
Here in Japan, 4 decades ago, 45 percent of women worked outside the home. Today, 66 percent of working-age women are in the workforce – a significant improvement, and one I know will only continue to grow in great measure due to Prime Minister Abe’s vision for Japan.
At the very heart of this vision is womenomics.
Womenomics recognizes the centrality of women, who represent roughly half of our global population, in achieving true economic growth. Women who are empowered to work, to thrive, and to lead bring immense creativity, fresh perspective, and success to our economy – and to the world.
When women work, it creates a unique multiplier effect. Women are more likely than men to hire other women, to give them access to capital, mentorship and networks. Women have been shown to reinvest 90 percent of their income in their homes and communities, and tend to allocate more of their funds to food, healthcare and education-resources that benefit children and improve our societies for generations. When women work, they not only support themselves, but they create a better future for their families and their communities.
Currently, an estimated 49 percent of women across the world participate in the global workforce. If women close the gap with men in all aspects of work and society, it could add trillions of dollars to our annual global GDP over the next decade.