The global gender pay gap is estimated at 23%. It means that women earn on average 77% of what men earn. At the current rate of progress, it will take until at least 2086 to achieve pay equity around the world, according to the International Labor Organisation (ILO).
Journalism is no exception to that injustice, despite the fact that more and more women graduate as journalists and enter the profession.
The gender pay gap is not linked to women being less qualified but rather to their access to highly paid positions being limited, the fact that shared parenting responsiblity is not the norm yet, that few media companies provide for full transparency regarding pay and bonuses, and that too few collective agreements have been adopted with solid provisions on reducing pay inequalities between women and men and balancing work and family life.
In addition, the ILO Global Wage Report 2020/21 shows that women have been disproportionately affected by the current Covid crisis which is exacerbating gender inequalities that existed before. Many attemps to achieve equal pay, either through legislation or in negotiations have been frozen.
