Posted: February 28th, 2022

The difference in wages based on gender

The difference in wages based on gender

Gender pay gap is a term that refers to the difference in average earnings between men and women in the same or similar occupations. It is a persistent and global phenomenon that affects women’s economic and social status, as well as their opportunities and choices. According to the latest data from the International Labour Organization (ILO), the global gender pay gap was 16.5% in 2020, meaning that women earned on average 83.5% of what men earned . In this blog post, we will explore some of the causes and consequences of the gender pay gap, as well as some of the possible solutions to reduce it.

Causes of the gender pay gap

The gender pay gap is a complex and multifaceted issue that has various causes and explanations. Some of the main factors that contribute to the gender pay gap are:

– Occupational segregation: This refers to the concentration of men and women in different types of jobs, sectors, and industries, often based on stereotypes and social norms. For example, women are more likely to work in low-paid and low-skilled occupations, such as domestic work, retail, and hospitality, while men are more likely to work in high-paid and high-skilled occupations, such as engineering, finance, and management . This leads to a horizontal gender pay gap, which is the difference in earnings between men and women in different occupations.
– Vertical segregation: This refers to the underrepresentation of women in senior and leadership positions, as well as in decision-making bodies. For example, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF), only 27% of managerial positions worldwide were held by women in 2020 . This leads to a vertical gender pay gap, which is the difference in earnings between men and women at different levels of hierarchy within the same occupation.
– Discrimination: This refers to the unequal treatment of men and women in terms of pay, benefits, promotions, training, and career opportunities, often based on biases and prejudices. For example, some employers may pay women less than men for doing the same or equivalent work, or may prefer to hire or promote men over equally or more qualified women . This leads to a direct gender pay gap, which is the difference in earnings between men and women who perform the same or similar work.
– Care responsibilities: This refers to the unequal distribution of unpaid domestic and care work between men and women, such as household chores, childcare, eldercare, and community service. For example, according to the ILO, women spent on average 4.2 hours per day on unpaid care work in 2018: 2024 – Write My Essay For Me | Essay Writing Service For Your Papers Online, compared to 1.7 hours for men . This leads to an indirect gender pay gap, which is the difference in earnings between men and women who have different levels of participation and availability in the labor market due to their care responsibilities.

Consequences of the gender pay gap

The gender pay gap has negative impacts not only on women’s income and wealth, but also on their well-being, health, education, empowerment, and human rights. Some of the main consequences of the gender pay gap are:

– Poverty: The gender pay gap reduces women’s earning potential and increases their risk of poverty, especially among single mothers, older women, migrant women, ethnic minority women, and disabled women . For example, according to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the gender pay gap contributed to a 37% gender gap in pensions in the European Union in 2019: 2024 – Online Assignment Homework Writing Help Service By Expert Research Writers .
– Inequality: The gender pay gap reinforces gender inequality and power imbalances between men and women in society. For example, according to the WEF, at the current pace of change, it will take 267 years to close the

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