WOMEN LIVING IN G20 countries will have to wait 75 years to see equal pay for equal work, according to an Oxfam report published today.
The report shows that women were over-represented in part-time labour and were discriminated against in the households, markets and institutions across the G20 countries and beyond.
According to the report, the Eurozone’s GDP would increase by 13% if women’s paid employment rates were the same. The charity is calling for a “radical change of attitude among society and government” in order to address the issue.
CEO Jim Clarken said the gap between women and men’s pay “reflects a fundamental and entrenched form of inequality”.
The report clearly shows that the absence of women’s rights drives poverty, while their fulfilment drives development, so the gender gap is not about women’s issues alone but systematic issues that determine the wellbeing of everyone in rich and poor countries alike.
Woman across the world’s 20 major economy work an average of 2-5 hours more unpaid than men per day which the report said effectively behaves as an economic subsidy.
“One of the biggest gender gaps and most fundamental gender inequalities is unpaid care work,” commented Clarken. “Ireland still relies heavily on the unpaid contributions of women – from caring for children, elderly and sick members of the household community and domestic labour. This unpaid work is vital for any society, but when it is unequally distributed it creates time deficits that affect women primarily and create gender inequality in society.”
Oxfam has recommended promotion of financing for public services to reduce women’s unpaid care work, the elimination of gender bias in national budgets and tax codes and family-friendly policies such as parental leave entitlements.
“I would extend this call to Irish policy makers and ask at a minimum they consider the impact policies may have on the lives of women in Ireland,” added Clarken.
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