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It will take 170 years to bridge the gender pay gap

The World Economic Forum has warned that it could take up to 170 years to close the gap in p...
Newstalk
Newstalk

13.43 26 Oct 2016


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It will take 170 years to brid...

It will take 170 years to bridge the gender pay gap

Newstalk
Newstalk

13.43 26 Oct 2016


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The World Economic Forum has warned that it could take up to 170 years to close the gap in pay between male and female workers.

It has found that the gap is actually growing, while greater equality is being achieved in areas such as education.

Ireland ranks as the sixth most gender equal country - that's down one place from last year's ranking.

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The country's drop is mainly due to a decline on its 'Economic Participation and Opportunity' score, with the Index’s updated estimated earned income scale revealing a larger-than-before income gender gap.

Iceland secured first place, followed by Finland and Norway.

Last year the same report found that it would take 118 years to achieve this equality.

"More than a decade of data has revealed that progress is still too slow for realising the full potential of one half of humanity within our lifetimes," the report comments.

Breaking down Ireland's score

The economic gender gap this year has reverted to where it stood in 2008, after a peak in 2013. On the other hand, the WEF reports that the education-specific gender gap could be eradicated within the next 10 years, if current trends continue.

“These forecasts are not foregone conclusions. Instead, they reflect the current state of progress and serve as a call to action to policy-makers and other stakeholders to double down on efforts to accelerate gender equality,” said Saadia Zahidi, Head of Education, Gender and Work, and Member of the Executive Committee at the World Economic Forum.


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