19 must-read gender stories of the week

Welcome to your weekly digest of stories about how the gender gap plays out around the world — in business, health, education and politics.

Your salary history is holding you back. Prior discrimination becomes current if pay is based on the past. (The Atlantic)

UK review shines light on women’s pay. A quarter of top earners at FTSE100 companies should be women. (Financial Times)

Exposing the gender pay gap – in order to abolish it. (New York Times)

South African women mind the pay gap. They have to work two extra months per year to earn the same as men. (World Economic Forum)

How to empower female entrepreneurs. A $100 million investment fund is a good start. (World Economic Forum)

Laws based on custom are trampling women’s legal rights. The UN fights back. (World Economic Forum)

Women need a side hustle. Investing is a good option. (Quartz)

Olympic gender norms are mired in the past. It’s time to abolish ideas about which sports are appropriate for women. (Slate)

Major US store stops labelling toys for boys or girls. Finally, your son can play with dolls. (Washington Post)

How GoDaddy changed its image – and nearly tripled the number of female engineers it hires. (LinkedIn)

How long will Mark Zuckerberg take for paternity leave? Campaigners hope he uses every last day of it. (New York Times)

Everything that is wrong with US maternity leave laws. The government can’t rely on the private sector to “do the right thing”. (New Republic)

Gender-equality clubs are proliferating in business schools. Only problem, they are run by men. (Washington Post)

Saudi women get more of a voice. The country will soon hold its first local elections open to women. (Bloomberg)

No girl in India is born free. In many cases, she is not even free to be born. (Indian Express)

Goats and chickens can prevent child marriage. When families have economic alternatives, they delay the age their daughters get married. (Reuters)

Rwandan taxi drivers commit to gender equality. “Women are the backbone of society.” (New Times)

Breaking the wine-glass ceiling. Women are flocking to the sommelier profession. (Wall Street Journal)

Women in ancient Egypt had the same rights as men. They could file for divorce and acquire their own property. (Atlas Obscura)

Statistic of the Week

Start-ups founded by men are 86% more likely to secure venture-capital funding and 59% more likely to receive angel investment.

Quote of the Week

“I want to get this conversation happening specifically within the fashion industry, to ask the leading voices about gender equality. I have seen some very positive steps toward equality … but I think there’s a lot of racism, there’s a lot of sexism. I’d really, really love to see a more diverse representation of women and men in any way that makes them feel empowered.”

Emma Watson, UN Women Goodwill Ambassador