Examining International Equal Pay Day

International Equal Pay Day was established at the initiative of the United Nations (UN) in 2019. It was created with the specific goal of enabling women to achieve equal pay with men for work of equal value within and among its member states.

This goal builds on the United Nations’ commitment to human rights and against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.

An ’embedded’ effort

This equal pay initiative is also embedded in the United Nations effort to promote economic development, decent working conditions and productive employment for all women and men, including young people and persons with disabilities.

Finally, this effort is meant to mainstream the United Nations commitment to gender equality within all aspects of its worldwide commitments.

Across all regions of the world, women are paid less than men. In the United States, the gender gap is calculated at around 20 percent. That is, women receive only 80 cents for every one dollar earned by a man for doing comparable work.

Worldwide issue

However, according to the World Economic Forum (WEF) the pay gender gap in many other countries of the world is much greater.

In evaluating the situation, the WEF considered such factors as access to education, healthcare, economic opportunities and political involvement.

With such measurements, it calculated a gender gap of 32 percent worldwide in 2002. This assessment has remained pretty consistent since that time.

Not an ‘easy task’

Achieving equal pay is very important for both human rights and gender equity. Yet it is a huge task and not an easy one.

It requires much work and commitment by many. Work among both women and men. Among businesses, women’s organizations, religious entities, health and human service providers and community-based organizations.

It requires eliminating many cultural practices that harm or limit women’s ability to work. Particularly the use of force or violence.

The United Nations set 2030 as a goal date for the achievement of improved gender equity standards. However, its spokespersons have admitted that it will take much more time than that. So while the trend is toward a smaller pay gap, our hard and dedicated efforts must continue.

There’s still work to do

Within the United States, the entities that seem to work most directly toward ending the gender pay gaps are labor unions, teachers’ and other education-related groups, public sector workers, Black Americans and Hispanic Americans.

In reviewing some of the UN current projects regarding pay equity, I found most were focused on small poor countries with complex patterns of racial and ethnic mixtures.

Their efforts at improvement have been impacted greatly by the COVID-19 pandemic. In many instances this seemed to produce or expose even greater inequalities.

“We must continue,” Antonio Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations said. “Equal pay is essential not only for women, but to build a world of dignity and justice for all.”