Latest news with #genderpaygap
Arab News
5 days ago
- Business
- Arab News
Women in Pakistan earn 30 percent less than men, ILO finds in landmark wage gap study
ISLAMABAD: Women in wage employment in Pakistan earn nearly 30 percent less per month than men despite often having higher levels of education and working full time, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), one of the most comprehensive studies of the country's gender pay gap to date. Published in July 2025, the 'Gender Pay Gap in Pakistan: An Empirical Analysis' found that on average, women earn 25 percent less per hour and 30 percent less per month than male counterparts, 'even when they have similar qualifications and experience, and are employed in comparable roles.' 'The magnitude of the gender pay gap in Pakistan is among the highest when compared to other lower-middle-income countries,' the ILO said. The study used data from Pakistan's Labour Force Surveys from 2013 to 2021, examining hourly, monthly and annual earnings across public and private sectors, including both formal and informal employment. The authors concluded that the wage disparity is only partially explained by observable factors such as age, education, occupation and hours worked. 'The majority of the wage gap between men and women in Pakistan remains unexplained, suggesting that discrimination or other unmeasured factors may be at play,' the report said. The wage gap is also compounded by extremely low female participation in the labor force. According to the report, women account for just 13.5 percent of wage employees, despite making up nearly half the working-age population. As of 2021, the female employment rate stood at 23 percent, compared to 79 percent for men. 'The overall employment gap — defined as the difference in employment-to-population ratios between men and women — has hovered at 56 percentage points over the last decade,' the report found, adding that women face 'multiple challenges when entering, staying in, and progressing in wage employment.' In many cases, the ILO noted, women with higher levels of education still earned significantly less than men with similar or even lower qualifications, 'indicating entrenched biases in hiring and promotion decisions.' INFORMAL SECTOR The study found that the gender pay gap is widest in the informal sector, where women earn over 40 percent less per hour than men. In the formal private sector, the gap is slightly narrower, and lowest in the public sector, where wage structures are regulated and pay scales standardized. 'The informal sector, where a significant proportion of women are employed, exhibits the highest gender pay gap, primarily due to the lack of oversight, low unionization, and absence of formal wage-setting mechanisms,' the report said. The ILO also cited the impact of occupational segregation. Women are underrepresented in higher-paying roles and overrepresented in sectors such as domestic work, education, and agriculture, which are often undervalued. To address these gaps, the report outlines a number of recommendations, including expanding formal employment opportunities for women, enforcing minimum wage laws and pay transparency measures and developing gender-responsive social protection systems. It also recommends strengthening labor inspection and legal enforcement, particularly in the informal sector, and investing in sex-disaggregated data collection to better monitor wage trends and disparities. The ILO also urged Pakistan to ratify and implement international conventions on equal pay and non-discrimination, including ILO Convention No. 100 (Equal Remuneration) and No. 111 (Discrimination in Employment and Occupation). The report underscores that eliminating gender-based wage disparities is not only a matter of justice, but also critical for boosting economic productivity and household welfare. 'Addressing the gender pay gap is essential to achieving inclusive economic growth and meeting Pakistan's commitments under the Sustainable Development Goals,' the ILO concluded.
Daily Mail
15-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Gender pay gap revealed: England and Wales way down the league table with Belgium top
The Uefa Women's Euro 2025 football tournament enters the quarter finals stage this week as teams fight it out for a place at the final on July 27. The England team struggled against France in the opening game, but performed well against Netherlands and Wales as they look to repeat the run which enabled the Lionesses to win the trophy three years ago. They play Sweden on Thursday. But Standard Life has already found a winner for another European cup - it looked at the gender pay gaps of all 16 nations taking part at the football event. The Uefa nation that wins is Belgium – where women are paid on average 0.9 per cent less than men, data from the pensions firm and life assurance firm shows. In contrast, England and Wales are among the worst, with a gap of 13.1 per cent on discrimination on work pay. For other countries at the Union of European Football Associations tournament in Switzerland only Germany, with a gap of 14.2 per cent, and Finland, on 16.1 per cent, treat women worse than men when it comes to salaries. Belgium have already been knocked out of the tournament. But by calculating who is best at tackling gender pay discrimination in the workplace, Standard Life believes the final of the eight would be between Norway and France, with Norway winning as the country's pay gap is 4.7 per cent, compared to France, on 6.2 per cent. Although the Lionesses will hopefully be victorious against Sweden on the pitch, if they were playing gender pay gap rules, they would be unceremoniously dumped out at the quarter finals stage – as the pay gap between men and women in Sweden is much less at 7.5 per cent. Norway would beat Italy in the quarter finals, as the latter has a pay gap of 4.9 per cent, while the match between Spain, with a gap of 6.6 per cent, and Switzerland, on 12.1 per cent, would see the hosts knocked out before the semi-finals. The game between heavy weights France and Germany, would see France victorious as it has a lower pay gap between the sexes of 6.2 per cent. Patrick Thomson, head of research analysis and policy at Standard Life, says: 'Women are still losing out when it comes to having enough money saved for retirement – made worse by the inequalities of our financial systems. 'Despite often contributing a higher proportion of their income into pensions, women retire with significantly less due to their lower lifetime earnings.' League table: Belgium is the clear winner of the Euro 2025 gender wage gap - while Finland is ranked bottom Other countries already knocked out are Denmark, with a 5.4 per cent pay gap, Netherlands on 5.8 per cent, Portugal 10.0 per cent, Iceland 10.8 per cent and Poland 10.9 per cent. The figures come from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The average pay gap throughout Europe is calculated at 9.7 per cent.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Science
- Irish Times
Study links online misogyny to lower earnings for women
Outright misogyny – not just outdated gender norms – may be an under-acknowledged force behind the US gender pay gap. So says a recent study by University of California economists Dr Molly Maloney and Dr David Neumark, who suggest overt misogyny matters more than we think. They created a misogyny index using Google Trends data. Instead of relying on attitudinal self-reports, they tracked online search rates for slurs against women, grouped into three categories: violent, manosphere and reactionary. The idea is that anonymous search behaviour reveals latent hostility that surveys may miss. Both misogyny and traditional gender norms (measured separately using national surveys) were linked to lower female earnings, but misogyny had the stronger, more direct effect. In areas with higher misogyny scores, women earned significantly less. The study suggests that even if only a small share of employers hold misogynistic views, they can still distort the job market. READ MORE Why? Because women may spend more time avoiding or escaping hostile workplaces, and settle for lower pay just to get hired. This added friction can drag down average wages, even where most employers are fair. The implication: the pay gap may be more personal than is thought, and raw hostility more damaging than we realise.
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Taking time out for children can hit your State pension: Here's how to close the gap
It's a no-brainer; the state pension is currently worth about €15,000 a year, and is one of the few welfare payments governments always try to increase in the annual budget. And yet, women still lag behind men when it comes to receiving the weekly payment at the maximum rate. This means a poorer life in retirement. 'All the inequalities women face throughout their working life, such as lower average earnings and the gender pay gap – all of that is exacerbated in older age,' says Donal Swan, women's economic equality coordinator at the National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI). Indeed, while the gender pay gap may be of the order of about 10 per cent, the gender pension gap remains 'stubbornly' high, at about 30 per cent. This means that the typical woman then has 30 per cent less of an income in retirement than a typical man. READ MORE [ The motherhood penalty: 'Once they're in bed, you log back on at 9pm or 10pm and work' Opens in new window ] There have been positives on the pensions front of late, such as the introduction of the long-term carer's contributions scheme, which makes it easier for those who have been caring for long periods to qualify for a state pension. It is changing, says Tony Delaney, founder and CEO of SYS Financial, who notes that participation rates of women in the workforce have increased, which has a corresponding impact on state pension coverage rates. Moreover, the Government has committed, in the recent programme for government, to introducing changes to support women who fall outside the existing schemes to qualify for a state pension. But, while such tinkering is positive, 'it doesn't deal with the complexities of women's lives' says Swan. Time to take some action then, to try to narrow this gap and ensure a brighter financial future for yourself. 1. Check your entitlement The state pension is currently paid out at a weekly rate of €289.30. This means that if you qualify for the maximum rate, and you claim it from 66 until the age of 91, it will be worth about €376,000 to you. If you don't have enough contributions, you might qualify for a non-contributory pension (paid at a top rate of €278) but this is based on a means test, so will depend on your household's income. And it might be paid at a rate substantially less than the top rate. Figures from the Department of Social Protection show that it's still primarily women who get this payment. Indeed as of June 30th, there were 58,688 female recipients of this pension, or 59 per cent of claimants, compared with 40,993 male recipients. It's clear then, that regardless of the rhythms of your working life, you need to maximise your chances of getting this payment at the top level. It's worth keeping track of how your contributions are stacking up. You can do this by requesting your record through MyWelfare . 2. Get 40 years of credits This year marks the first time that pensions can be calculated on a total contributions approach (TCA). Introduced on a phased basis, it will supercede the current averaging approach by 2034. So, if you were born after 1968 (aged 57 or less), your pension will be based on the TCA. But what will this mean? Well, in short, to qualify for a full state pension under the new regime, you will need 40 years' contributions (2,080 or more PRSI contributions). In other words, you need to be working from the age of 22 through to 62 to qualify. And, while you can get credits for periods spent in the home caring for children (through the HomeCaring Periods scheme, for example; see below), such contributions can't exceed 20 years. So, let's say you have just 20 years of contributions – then you'll qualify for 50 per cent of the maximum pension, or €144.65 a week instead of €289.30, a substantial decrease on the top rate. The NCWI would like to see the time period lowered, so that you can access the full state pension based on 30 years of contributions. 'We're hopeful we can keep pushing Government and the Department [of Finance] to keep making changes where possible, to expand people's access to this,' says Swan. 3. Make sure you get credits for time out If you take time out of the workforce (for maternity or parental leave), your employer may continue to make pension contributions on your behalf. But what happens to your state pension? When it comes to the state pension, if you're not getting paid while on leave, then you won't be paying PRSI, which means you won't be building up credits for your state pension. Under the new regime, however, parents who take time out to care for their children can keep their PRSI record intact by applying for credits under the aforementioned HomeCaring Periods Scheme. If you get maternity benefit, you will get credits automatically. However, as this ends after 26 weeks, if you take a further 16 weeks' unpaid leave you will need to get your employer to complete the application form for maternity leave credits when you return to work. When it comes to parental leave, you should also be entitled to credits – but, again, you have to make sure your employer applies for these. Parents can take up to 26 weeks of parental leave, which is typically unpaid, for each child up to the age of 12. 4. Time out is good – but get back in the workforce if you can So far so good, but complications with getting the credits can arise if you subsequently opt to take a longer period of time out of the workforce. This is because, to qualify for a state pension – even at a reduced rate – you will need at least 10 years' paid contributions, and your home caring years can't exceed 20. And to get the full pension, you will need 40 years of contributions. So then, it may make sense for many women to return to the workforce once their children are grown up, to try to meet the requirements for a state pension. 5. Think about topping up your state pension Many stay-at-home parents turn to ad hoc work to boost their income while looking after their family – running a house account on Instagram is one such route, as is running a play group or after school activity. However, while family friendly, it's important to note that such earnings may not be working towards a state pension for you. If you are self-employed and earn less than €5,000 a year, you won't be paying S-class PRSI contributions, which means that you won't be building up a State pensions record. But, you can become a voluntary contributor for €650 (up from €500 to October 2025, and from €253 until 2013). This will boost your entitlement to a state pension. The challenge here, however, as Swan notes, is that if you're already on a low income, you may not have enough money. However, you can apply to pay in quarterly or half-yearly instalments during the contribution year. And, from a household perspective, it may make financial sense to get your partner, who may be working, to make the payment. You will need to have 520 paid contributions (ie 10 years) to qualify also. You can apply online using the Voluntary Contributions Application Form (VC1) . 6. Remember you may qualify for a pension through your spouse If you are married but don't qualify for a pension in your own right, you may be entitled to get an increase on your spouse's pension, known as a 'qualified adult' pension. This is offered at a lower rate of up to €259.40 a week. However, the payment is means tested, and some women may struggle with the concept of being dependent on their partner in retirement. They may also feel that their contribution to society is not being recognised. 'It's a real remnant of the era of that male breadwinner model,' says Swan. Indeed, until as recently as 2007, the 'qualified adult' payment went straight to the person claiming the state pension, so the spouse – in most cases a woman – had to then rely on their husband to give them the money. Instead, a bit like the current basic income scheme, which is being trialled among artists, the NWCI would like to see the introduction of a universal pension. While potentially costly, last year, Social Justice Ireland said the introduction of such a scheme could be funded by reducing the higher rate of tax relief on private pensions from 40 per cent to 20 per cent, and by increasing employers PRSI by 0.5 per cent. 'It would be a significant structural change,' says Swan, who adds that the current tax relief is 'disproportionately more valuable to men'. 'The way everyone contributes to society through their life is different,' he says.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Women Who Married "The Rich One" For Financial Security Are Sharing What It's Like Now, And It's A Must-Read Conversation
Content warning: Discussions of abuse. Recently, Charlie Kirk told a crowd of young women that they should reconsider pursuing an "MRS degree" when going to college — an outdated, sexist term popularized in the twentieth century to mock women who supposedly went to college just to find a husband. The thing is, in a society where women couldn't open bank accounts, buy homes, or build credit without a man's signature, in many ways, marriage was often the sole path to social and financial security. Even today, the gender pay gap persists, with women making on average just 84 cents to every dollar earned by men. And when women step away from the workforce to have children, they often return to lower salaries and limited opportunities — aka, the "motherhood penalty" — whereas when men become fathers, their wages increase, also the phenomenon known as the "fatherhood premium." In a culture that still rewards men as the default breadwinners and punishes women economically for doing the same work (or even tells them outright they should just pursue a MRS degree instead), it's not surprising that some view marriage as a financial safeguard. Not necessarily because they want to (despite the tired and often overused "golddigger" stereotype), but sometimes because they feel they have to. So, when someone on Reddit asked women who married "the rich one" for financial stability to share what life's been like now, it opened up a revealing and necessary conversation about the systemic pressures at play shaping women's choices. The answers highlight what happens when marriage becomes a form of economic survival — and, more often than not, just how often the tale unravels. Here's what they shared: 1."I'll speak for my mom. She thought she was marrying the rich one. My dad tried to talk her out of it. He even offered to pay her more than child support for her not to do it (not out of just who my dad is). That pissed her off and she married him anyway. I won't go into details about the stuff I went through, but he was not a safe person to be around. He was a big-time manipulator. He tied my mom up with 6 million dollars in debt. She had no idea until she wanted a divorce — that's when she found out he was putting his debt in her name for his failing businesses." "She ended up having to file for bankruptcy to leave him, but the divorce took years. He would constantly hire new lawyers just to keep the process going. She almost didn't make it out in one piece mentally. It's been a long road for her. She hasn't made the best decisions in relationships (I had to cut her out of my life for a while because of it), but after some very extensive therapy, she's doing much better." —Ok_Ad_5658 2."My first husband was very wealthy. When we were dating, that was fun, and he loved to spoil me and treat me to awesome things. After we were married, he became very controlling and definitely used his wealth and money to control and assert his dominance over me. I became very anxious and cried all the time, went on antidepressants, and went to therapy." "Eventually, he became physically intimidating, and I left him. Miraculously, all the depression and anxiety went away. Now I'm happily married, middle-class, stable, and married to the kind one. Better choice." —DaphneDork 3."I gave up my acting/directing career to be with an ex-partner, as I thought that I wouldn't succeed in my career, and I resigned myself to a life of normality. When I got dumped, the biggest thing that hurt was that I chose the safe path, and things still didn't work out. So the moral of the story is, don't give up your passions and career for a so-called 'normal life,' because when the worst happens, you're only left with yourself, and your previous skills and experience, and it can be hard to re-enter the workforce. I got lucky, and I'm much happier now pursuing the things I truly want." —notthewoopers 4."I was engaged to the 'rich one' and got away. It was NOT WORTH IT. The abuse — physical, sexual, emotional, mental, etc. It was extremely lonely...I always remember being sad on vacation. I'm on an expensive vacation in a beautiful resort, where normal people would be thrilled. But instead I was miserable and alone and honestly pissed that our usual routines were on hold and therefore I was expected to be in his presence all day." "Do not do it. Life is too short for misery, and you deserve true love. Money is just money — it can come and go. Love and happiness are what life is about. People will say all day, 'Well, I don't pay any bills.' There isn't a bill in this world that costs more than my peace and happiness." —Born_Boysenberry4327 5."A bit different. He became rich while we dated. We were both not working when we met. I was on leave from teaching after a death in my family. He had just moved to my city and was looking for work. He was a freelance graphic designer and landed a gig at a start-up company. This was around 2010, when mobile apps were just taking off, and things like Instagram were just coming out. Design after design, he won awards, and the company blew up because of him. Life was fun when there was money, parties, and award ceremonies. After a bit, drugs and drinking got in his way, he became more abusive, tried to kill me, and I left. He was fired and blacklisted." —WearyEnthusiasm6643 6."I am highly educated and have a successful career of my own, but he had built wealth that was far beyond anything I'd ever make. We married young, when he was setting up his company. I encouraged him, and we had a close partnership for many years. Eventually, he wanted more and more control and wanted me to be more of a trophy wife, less of a partner." "He had an affair, and we got divorced. He attacked me through expensive lawyers, and I made it out with my own savings and pocket change. I've gotten over it and am on a totally different path in life, prioritizing my career and being more open to living for joy and purpose in my own life. I'm single, don't know if I'll ever remarry or have a family, but not concerned with it at the moment. What's for you is for you." –flechadeoro 7."My friend married a guy she did she was also looking for someone wealthy (she is also highly educated with a good job that could earn well). Honestly? I'm not sure how much of it was love for her or how much of it was wanting a kid before she got too old. I think she didn't really know ended up being very controlling. He wouldn't let her change anything about the house. She got pregnant and he was the least supportive partner you can imagine." "He wouldn't keep pregnancy-safe food in the house and would fill the fridge with things you're not meant to eat while pregnant. He didn't want to pay for her to stay home, but was also unsatisfied if she worked. He didn't want her to be close to family, whilst he had zero boundaries with his own family. Whilst she was postpartum, he didn't want her to he also basically refused to pay for anything for the baby. People assume that they'll marry a rich person who is generous, but many rich people only really care for themselves, or are happy to use it as a control tactic. She left him before their baby was 1 year old. And naturally, he ended up a nightmare to co-parent with. Because he doesn't understand kids and wants his baby to behave like some idealized older child rather than in a way that kids that age actually behave." —linerva 8."I met my ex in college. He was in a field that offered high incomes right after graduation, so while we were not rich we were very comfortable. He became very controlling and mean, and watched every penny I spent, getting upset if I bought an extra non-perishable grocery item because it was on sale. Mind you, he did not do any shopping or cooking. I waited probably too long to divorce him because I was worried about the big drop in income and stability. But I finally did it, and while it was tough financially for a long time, I was fine and so much happier without him." —YouMustDoEverything 9."My friend married the 'rich one' because he is rich and she is living out the 'If you marry for money, you earn every penny' phrase. There is also not an insignificant age difference, the in-laws are assholes, the husband is a tightwad, and the family business is in a somewhat volatile industry dynamic. But he's rich, so she doesn't have to work outside the home, so she sort of got what she wanted?" —ilikesimis 10."This is not the same thing, but I didn't marry for love; I married my husband because we were good partners. He was financially stable enough that I could stay at home with our daughter, which I think we both wanted. I think we have a different kind of love for each other that has grown over time, but it's not a very romantic relationship, and I'm honestly happier than I was when I was deeply in love in the past." —I-Am-Willa 11."It's worked out well. I didn't pick him just because he's rich, but I've been with men similar in habit and compatibility to him who didn't have as much money. It's nice not to have to worry about whether we have enough money to pay the bills. And we can vacation where we want because we want to, and not pick places just because they are budget-friendly. The kids can participate in the activities they want and won't have to pick a lower-tier college in the interest of saving us money or reducing their own student loan burden. I do work because I want to, but I don't have to work jobs I hate or hours that suck because we have the household financial security to weather the storm of temporary unemployment." "I really think it's just the doesn't hurt me. I think money gives people the means to be themselves, and my husband is a good guy to the core. He doesn't have the need or desire to control the narrative, which combined that desire with money, you have the perfect abusive tornado potential." —azulsonador0309 finally, "My husband isn't rich, but he makes good money, works really hard, is very responsible, and could afford to live on his own when we met. We got married for things other than money and love, but we do love each other. I was only 22 and I didn't go to college, so I wasn't financially stable in the same way. I worked and paid for everything I had and took care of my younger sister financially, but I lived with family and felt trapped. So it made sense getting married would help me, but the thing I wish I realized back then was not to become as financially dependent on him." "We had a rough patch, and I realized I didn't have anything or anywhere to go if we got divorced. I recently returned to school to get out of dead-end jobs and have financial independence/security. Overall, I think people should check both boxes by picking someone you enjoy being around and actually like, as well as them being financially stable." —corkblob Did you marry "the rich one" for financial stability? What was the reality, and what do you wish you'd known before saying "I do"? Share your story in the comments. If you or someone you know is in immediate danger as a result of domestic violence, call 911. For anonymous, confidential help, you can call the 24/7 National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or chat with an advocate via the website. If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE, which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here. The National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline is 1-888-950-6264 (NAMI) and provides information and referral services; is an association of mental health professionals from more than 25 countries who support efforts to reduce harm in therapy. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can call SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and find more resources here.
