A report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation has found that women in the healthcare sector are earning 24% less than men, on average.
The report found that a raw pay gap exists of 20% but this increases by 24% when accounting for factors such as age, education and time in the workforce.
Women are paid less for doing the same jobs as men.
Women account for 67% of health and care workers worldwide. The health and care industry has lower wages, on average, when compared to the rest of the economy.
The report said that in the economic sector where women are predominant, salaries usually remain lower.
The global analysis finds that even with COVID-19 and the critical role played by health and care workers, there were only marginal improvements in pay equality between 2019 and 2020.
“The WHO found that the gender pay gap in their sector is not universal. It would take more time for this goal to be achieved. Gender pay gaps are wider in higher-paid jobs, where there are more men than women.”
The report finds that there is a history of women being paid less than men in many sectors. In the health and care sector, it is unknown why this trend continues despite efforts to explain its causes with labour market factors.
Manuela Tomei, the Director of Conditions of Work and Equality Department at the International Labour Organisation, says that while in general the health and care sector has endured low pay, stubbornly large gender pay gaps, and very demanding working conditions.
The COVID-19 pandemic displayed how essential the health sector is. The dangers of the pandemic’s potential impact on society and economies made it clear how vital such work is.
Women can not have better-quality health and care services with a stronger, more inclusive, and sustainable recovery without better working conditions in the health and care industry. There is no possible way to have better medicine with better quality healthcare
Their hope is that this report would help start the dialogue about policy that needs to take place in order to create what’s needed.