Women in the health sector earn a quarter less than men | medical

Globally, the difference in pay is 20 percent, but increases to 24 percent when factors such as age, education and working time are taken into account. For the authors, this increase indicates that women receive less wages than men for their qualities in the labor market.

The researchers do not know what the main explanation is for this pay gap. Part of the explanation may lie in age, education and working time, but there is no real explanation based on labor market factors. Conscious or unconscious discrimination is put forward as part of the explanation.

Women account for two in three healthcare workers worldwide. The study also shows that wages in the sector are generally lower than elsewhere in the economy, as seen in other sectors where women are in the majority.

In addition, there are additional disadvantages for mothers in the health sector. During their childbearing years, the pay gap widens significantly, and that gap persists throughout a career. This leads the authors to conclude that a fairer division of family responsibilities in many cases leads to women making different career choices.

There are large differences in pay inequality between countries, which leads the authors to suspect that the pay gap can be avoided and that more efforts can be made to close it. “The pandemic clearly showed that the health sector is struggling with low wages, large wage differentials and very demanding working conditions,” said ILO top woman Manuela Tomei. “But the pandemic also highlighted the importance of the industry and its workers in keeping families, societies and economies running. It is time to make decisive decisions, and we hope this detailed report will help spark the necessary dialogue.” bring.”