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Gender (in)equality in the labour market: an overview of global trends and developments

Document number
1970
Date
2009
Title
Gender (in)equality in the labour market: an overview of global trends and developments
Author/publisher
International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Research/Study/Analysis,
Keywords
gender equality, women, women's rights, poverty, social inclusion
Summary
A new report released by the ITUC for March 8, International Women's Day, has revealed that the pay gap between men and women worldwide may be much higher than official government figures.  The report, "Gender (in)Equality in the LabourMarket", is based on survey results of some 300,000 women and men in 20 countries.  It puts the global pay gap at up to 22%, rather than the 16.5% figure taken from official government figures and released by the ITUC on March 8 last year.

The report also confirms previous findings that union membership, and particularly the inclusion of women in collective bargaining agreements, leads to much better incomes for both women and men, as well as better pay for women relative to their male co-workers.

A special chapter in the report also tackles the appalling human and economic cost of violence against women, taking a close look at the impact of violence against women at home, in society and at work.  The report cites WHO figures indicting that in some countries a majority of women experience physical assault and psychological intimidation, while  a global average of some one-third of women suffer from violence at some stage in their lives.  Along with the lasting physical and mental damage  caused by violence against women, the report advances clear evidence of its economic effects on women's employment and economic situation. Examples are given of the total economic cost of violence against women in several countries indicating that the total global cost is likely to be in the tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars.
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