 Tourism can empower women in multiple ways, particularly through the provision of jobs and through income-generating opportunities in small and larger-scale tourism and hospitality related enterprises. As one of the sectors with the highest share of women employed and entrepreneurs, tourism can be a tool for women to unlock their potential, helping them to become fully engaged and lead in every aspect of society.Â
There are six targets within SDG 5 that are deemed to have a stronger and direct link for tourism to promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. These targets have been selected to base the potential project indicators.Â
.Â
TARGET 5.1
END ALL FORMS OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS EVERYWHERE.
The tourism sector is largely labour intensive and provides jobs for many people, including those who have difficulties in finding jobs elsewhere such as newcomers to the labour market, young people, migrants and women with family responsibilities who can only work part-time and workers with little or no qualifications in general.Therefore, the tourism sector, especially private businesses, needs to be more actively committed to issues such as gender equality and womenâs economic rights and take concrete steps to ensure that tourism provides decent work for women, respecting the rights of women workers and providing equal opportunities for entrepreneurship, training and career progression.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme
Legal frameworks, policies and rule of law / Tourism human resources policyÂ
Women´s empowerment / Pro-women legislation and support programmes
Employment / Decent work
Tourism value chain / Supplier code of conduct
TARGET 5.2
ELIMINATE ALL FORMS OF VIOLENCE AGAINST ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS IN THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPHERES, INCLUDING TRAFFICKING AND SEXUAL AND OTHER TYPES OF EXPLOITATION.
Target 5.2 seeks to end all violence against, and exploitation of, women and girls. Modern slavery happens in all countries and in many industries around the world.
Several factors make the tourism sector especially vulnerable to sexual harassment, human trafficking and modern slavery compared to other sectors, such as the frequent changeover of clients in hotels and airports, increasing automation of operations, the common practice of using subcontractors for different tasks, such as construction, maintenance, security or cleaning.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme
Legal frameworks, policies and rule of law / Human traffickingÂ
Education and training / Awareness raising
Violence and harassment / Harassment
Tourism value chain / Supplier code of conduct
Â
TARGET 5.5
ENSURE WOMENâS FULL AND EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS OF DECISION-MAKING IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND PUBLIC LIFE.Â
Target 5.5 recognizes that women could play a critical role in driving economic development throughout the world. Achieving gender equality and providing equal opportunities to women at all levels in the tourism sector would result in more benefits for all. The tourism sector can contribute to this target by facilitating a gender-sensitive economic environment to support womenâs tourism businesses so that womenâs effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership could lead to womenâs economic empowerment.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme
Women´s empowerment / Women in directive positionsÂ
Tourism value chain / Supplier code of conductÂ
TARGET 5.a
UNDERTAKE REFORMS TO GIVE WOMEN EQUAL RIGHTS TO ECONOMIC RESOURCES, AS WELL AS ACCESS TO OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL OVER LAND AND OTHER FORMS OF PROPERTY, FINANCIAL SERVICES, INHERITANCE, AND NATURAL RESOURCES, IN ACCORDANCE WITH NATIONAL LAWS.
Womenâs equal rights are intrinsically linked to sustainable development and key to economic growth and security. In this regard, the tourism sector offers job opportunities for women, and women make up the majority of the tourism workforce (54%) and are often concentrated in low skilled or informal work, which affords them less access to social protection and puts them in a precarious position. Empowering women economically can lift entire families and communities out of poverty. Tourism businesses must be compliant with national labour legislation, including on equal pay, periodic equal pay reviews, parental leave and non-discrimination rules. Information on the earnings that employees receive in exchange for their work is crucial to provide an indication of their purchasing power and living standards; it also offers an insight into the quality of employment and employeesâ working conditions.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Women´s empowerment / Gender-responsive policies
Tourism value chain / Supplier code of conduct
Education and training / Capacity buildingÂ
TARGET 5.b
ENHANCE THE USE OF ENABLING TECHNOLOGY, IN PARTICULAR INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY, TO PROMOTE THE EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN.
Target 5.b seeks to promote empowerment of women through technology. Information and communication technologies (ICT) offer tools that can be applied to raise entrepreneurship and improve access to financing and real-time market information. ICT is one of the key drivers that can facilitate the efforts of womenâs empowerment. With the advancement of new technology, and the widespread use of mobile phones and social network services both in developed and developing countries, ICT is an important enabler to help women overcome their barriers and become creative and innovative in their life. Digital access to ICT and getting information through it is a major challenge for many tourism business owners who cannot properly use the advantage to link to the market and tourists to sell their product.
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Education and training / ICT training
Business development / Innovation
Â
TARGET 5.c
ADOPT AND STRENGTHEN SOUND POLICIES AND ENFORCEABLE LEGISLATION FOR THE PROMOTION OF GENDER EQUALITY AND THE EMPOWERMENT OF ALL WOMEN AND GIRLS AT ALL LEVELSÂ
In line with this target is tourismâs potential for advancing womenâs empowerment by developing and implementing adequate tourism policies and strategies to advance the training and leadership of women in the sector and to break the barriers for women in gaining access and contributing to the sector. National and local administrations should promote and guarantee gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, in all economic sectors, including tourism, through investing in further gender analysis to ensure a gender perspective is integrated into all phases of the tourism policy and programme cycle
Potential indicators in this target are grouped by the following Theme and sub-theme:
Legal frameworks, policies and rule of law / Human trafficking, Child protection, Tourism destination securityÂ
Education and training / Awareness raising, Capacity buildingÂ
Tourism value chain / Supplier code of conductÂ
