Equal pay coming to SA in 75 years
A new report finds that women will not reach the same level of pay as men for another 75 years.
The report, published by Oxfam, and developed in collaboration with the Heinrich Böll Foundation, assessed G20 countries across a number of gender-related policies.
G20 and gender equality – how the G20 can advance women’s rights in employment, social protection and fiscal policies – shows how the G20’s growth ambitions cannot be realised without policies addressing systemic discrimination and economic exclusion of women.
South Africa is a member of the G20 group of countries, which includes the UK, the US, Germany, China, Argentina, Australia, South Korea, and Russia, among others.
Oxfam’s executive director Winnie Byanyima said that across G20 countries and beyond, women were paid less than men, did most of the unpaid labor, were over-represented in part-time work and were discriminated against in the household, markets and institutions.
Depending on the country context, Oxfam said that an extra 20% – 60% would be added to the GDP of individual G20 countries if the hidden contribution of unpaid work – such as caring for children or carrying out housework – was recognised and valued.
“Meanwhile, if women’s paid employment rates were the same as men’s, the USA’s GDP would increase by 9%, the Eurozone’s by 13% and Japan’s by 16%,” Byanyima said.
She said the absence of women’s rights drove poverty, while their fulfillment could drive development.
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