Gender pay gap
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The average difference between men's and women's hourly earnings is known as the gender pay gap.
The gender pay gap reflects ongoing discrimination and inequalities in the labour market which, in practice, mainly affect women. Its causes are complex and interrelated. Visit these pages to understand why the gap exists and learn more about the EU's work to close it.
Boy or girl, equal opportunities?
These babies are born with equal
opportunities, but the educational and career expectations for boys
and girls are different. By the time they grow up, the boy will be
earning on average 17.5% more than the girl.
Is our work valued the same?
Women have as good or better
qualifications than men, but often their skills are not as valued as
men's and their career progression is slower. This results in an
average gender pay gap of 17.5% in the EU.
Will having a child harm my career?
Family responsibilities are not equally
shared. As a result, women have more frequent career breaks and often
do not go back to a full time job. As a result, women earn on average
17.5% less than men.
Same job, same pension?
Women's earnings over a lifetime are on
average 17.5% lower than men's. When women retire these lower earnings
result in lower pensions. This leads to more women than men
experiencing poverty in old age.
Please find here all the documents related to the gender pay gap.