Gender pay gap
Definition
Also known as gender remuneration gap, ‘represents the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of female and male employees’ (EIGE, 2019). ‘The gender pay gap is an internationally established measure of women’s position in economy in comparison to men. The gender pay gap is the result of the social and economic factors that combine to reduce women’s earning capacity over their lifetime. Closing the gender pay gap goes beyond just ensuring equal pay. It requires cultural change to remove the barriers to the full and equal participation of women in the workforce… The gender pay gap often starts when women first enter the workforce. A combination of factors affects women’s lifetime economic security and makes it likely that over a lifetime women will earn less than men, be less likely to advance their careers as far as men, and accumulate less superannuation and savings than men, and will therefore be more likely to live in poverty in old age.’ (WGEA, n.d.).
References
EIGE (European Institute for Gender Equality). 2019. ‘Gender pay gap’. In: Glossary & Thesaurus. Accessed 12 September 2019: https://eige.europa.eu/thesaurus/terms/1196
WGEA (Workplace Gender Equality Agency, Australia). N.d. The Gender Pay Gap. Accessed 15 August 2021: https://www.wgea.gov.au/the-gender-pay-gap