Women around the world still make 20% less than men on average, with minority, disabled, and migrant women facing even bigger gaps, UN Women said before International Equal Pay Day on September 18, according to an official statement. The agency called this wage discrimination a violation of women’s rights that hurts their financial security and blocks economic growth. Thirty years after the Beijing Declaration promised equal pay, the same problems keep women from earning what they deserve.
The Beijing Platform for Action made governments promise to enforce equal pay for equal work back in 1995. The 2030 development goals included the same commitment. But deep-rooted biases still stop millions of women from getting fair pay for their jobs, creating money problems for entire families and communities.
UN Women works with the International Labour Organization and OECD to lead the Equal Pay International Coalition. They team up with governments, bosses, unions, research groups, and companies to fix wage gaps. The group wants governments to write better laws, employers to be more open about what they pay workers, and unions to fight harder for fair wages.
Time is running short to meet the 2030 development targets – less than five years remain. UN Women wants employers to check their pay practices and audit for bias while worker groups push for better bargaining power. As world leaders gather in New York for the UN General Assembly’s 80th session, the organization reminded everyone that equal pay isn’t just good policy – it’s a basic human right that helps build sustainable development.
