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IELTS Writing Task 2/ IELTS Essay:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Many high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. So companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

Sample Answer 1: (Disagreement)
In recent years, the role of women in society as well as in job sectors has changed to a great extent. However, it is noteworthy that higher positions in firms are still occupied by men, although women account for half of the workforce in many developed countries. While some people claim that women should be promoted more to hold these positions, I disagree with this idea as I believe that higher positions should be served by deserving people and should not be allocated based on gender.

First, recruiting for higher positions in a company should never be based on gender, but qualifications, skills and aptitudes. This is because choosing people who cannot adapt to the working conditions will make companies confront many difficulties - even this can affect the profit, productivity and the public image. For instance, in my brother’s workplace, two women were recruited in two higher positions only because they were relatives of the owner. Within a few months, the management had to replace both of them with more competent employees. Therefore, a company should always choose the best people to serve their important positions. If a female candidate seems more promising or if an existing female employee has excellent capabilities, there should not be any problem in recruiting or promoting a woman in a higher position.

Again, if percentage or number is the most crucial factor, I believe children should also be promoted to higher positions in a company in a developing country as their percentage in factories and industries in those countries is also high. This exemplifies why qualifications should get priority over other aspects when it comes to hiring people for higher management positions in a company.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that employees should be recruited according to their expertise, eligibilities and talent. It is therefore recommended that women who want to play important roles in an organisation should gain those qualifications and skills. They should not be favoured only because of their gender.

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Model Answer 2: (Agreement)
Women's contribution to building a nation is equally important to that of men, and given the chance, women can be equally adept to take responsibilities in higher management positions in a company. Gender equality is no longer a concept, but a proven way to accelerate progress. I, therefore, strongly believe that a portion of higher positions in companies and organisations should be reserved for females.

To begin with, half of the world population is women and their empowerment determines the overall progress of nations and the global economy. If these women are kept away from decision-making positions, true empowerment of nations would become impossible. To cite an example, when half of the decision-makers in a large company are females, they can bring diverse perspectives and innovation to the company. Some of the Asian countries including Bangladesh and India have incorporated reserved seats in parliaments for women, and these female leaders have done a great deal to encourage women to actively contribute to the country's politics and business sectors.

Furthermore, women in higher positions, in the police force, for example, can better understand the crimes and injustice against women and can propose better solutions to these issues. Similarly, almost every large company has a great portion of female consumers and having some female key employees would only ensure more favourable product research, planning and productions that would better serve females and ensure more loyal female customers.

To conclude, allocating a certain portion of higher positions for women is not a courtesy to the women. Rather it ensures a balanced working environment, innovation, happy female customers and women empowerment which are the key ingredients to sustainable progress and better business development.

• IELTS Essay
• Writing Task 2
• Agree/Disagree Essay

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