A new report from the United Nations has pointed out the widening gender pay gap in healthcare with women earning at least 24% less than men. The report ‘The gender pay gap in the health and care sector: a global analysis in the time of COVID-19’ has been published by the International Labour Organization and the World Health Organization’.
According to the report, there is a gender pay gap of roughly 20 percentage points, which rises to 24 percentage points when looking at factors like age, education, and working time are taken into account.
The report also highlights that despite yeoman service by the group during the pandemic, there has been a marginal improvement in pay equality.
“The health and care sector has endured low pay in general, stubbornly large gender pay gaps, and very demanding working conditions. The COVID-19 pandemic clearly exposed this situation while also demonstrating how vital the sector and its workers are in keeping families, societies, and economies going,” said Manuela Tomei, Director of Conditions of Work and Equality Department at the ILO.
With the overall pay being low compared to other sectors, healthcare is another underpaid vocation that predominantly comprises women.
