Close the Gap - international news (3)

This post captures news from around the world on the causes of the gender pay gap and equal pay. This includes issues such as occupational segregation, gender equality in the labour market, flexible working and much more.

Tanzania

Female Students Shy Away From Science Courses

Ghana

Minister calls on women to embrace jobs in ICT sector

Australia

Time is running out to close the gender wage gap

Australian women lagging in super, pay, board spots

Australia ignoring hidden resource

Canada

Stereotypes keep women away from science

Caribbean

Legislation will end differentiation of pay for women in the workplace

Pakistan

Women enjoying full rights in Pakistan, working in all departments: Bilawal

Singapore

'Girls in Tech' launches in Singapore

Close the Gap - monthly international news (1)

Every month Close the Gap will capture news from around the world on the causes of the gender pay gap and equal pay. This includes issues such as occupaitonal segregation, gender equality in the labour market, flexibly working and much more. This edition covers January and February 2012

NEWS

European Parliament news

Still much to do to redress gender inequality in the EU, says committee

Uganda: Daily Monitor

Policy alternatives needed to bridge gender gap for science courses

Swaziland: Swazi Observer

Gender inequalities lead to unequal development

The Australian - National Affairs

Julia Gillard-Equal Work, Equal Pay

Australia News

Equal pay day: Huge win for women 'could help close wage gap'

EQUAL PAY DAY: Huge win for women 'could help close wage gap'

Central Western Daily

Pay rise right on the money for workers

Australia: The Conversation

The reality of the gender wage gap

Voxy News

New Zealand women left behind on pay

Northern Rivers Echo

CBA wins Catalyst gender award

The India Times

Will ensure gender equity

Business Wire Ireland

Research and Markets: Salary & Compensation: ASTD's Learning and Development

The Irish Times 

Great strides made towards gender equality but playing field is still not level

Hogan says gender balance proposals could change face of politics forever

Irish Independent

Maeve Dineen: Gender equality still has a long way to go at Davos

Irish women better qualified than men but earn less and work fewer hours - report

Sweden: Information Daily

Women Managers Make Proposals For Greater Gender Equality

The Gulf Today

Working women shape future

USA

Los Angeles Times:

Gender equity: Doing the math 

Harvard News

Stop Tying Pay to Performance. The evidence is overwhelming: It doesn’t work.

The Sacromento Bee

Gender gap in Capitol growing

Columbia Spectator

University stalling on salary gender gap

Forbes

Breaking the Silicon Ceiling: Women Innovate Mobile

Think Progress Economy

Women Still Earn Far Less Than Men

North Carolina-News & Observer

N.C. job reductions hit women, minorities hardest

CTI Career Search

Study Shows Gender Gap In STEM Careers May Persist For A Century

New Jersey

Gender gap in N.J. women's pay deserves attention

Google - Associated Press

Women in Film celebrates female Oscar nominees

Opposing Views

White House Helping Break Glass Ceiling for Women & Girls

Cayman News Services

Equality at work now law

Times Colonist

Punishing women and the poor

Times Herald-Record

Miss Representation' spotlights gender bias

Canada The Province

Gender gap cited

Close the Gap newsround (12)

This week's newsround includes articles on occupational segregation and gender stereotyping.

NEWS - UK

The Guardian

The female unemployment crisis

Female playwrights still face sexism – it's time we admitted it

Labour looks to Denmark for childcare policy

Labour's childcare plans will help families work

HR Magazine

Female-to-male management ratio across Europe is 29:71

Europe University World News

Why universities need more women at the top

EVENTS

International Women's Day - Women in Scotland 2012 - The Big Picture

Close the Gap will be speaking at Engender's Women in Scotland 2012 Conference being held on International Women's Day Wednesday 8 March in the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, 10am-4.30pm

The event is an opportunity to take part in discussions around; gender budgeting, occupational segregation, welfare reform and poverty, childcare, women in the economy and many more issues. For more details about this FREE event click on the link above.

Equality in Employment: Gender, Diversity and Inclusion in the Financial Service Sector

Thursday 8 March, London 12.30 – 16.30

The Equality and Human Rights Commission in collaboration with City HR Associates and the Financial Services Authority are holding an International Women’s Day Symposium to consider some of the challenging questions around progression and compensation of women in the finance industry.

Apprenticeships and Training Conference 2012

Thursday 29 March, Edinburgh

Emma Ritch, Project Manager at Close the Gap will be speaking at the Apprenticeship and Training Conference on gender stereotyping in educaiton and training and the impact on sustainable economic growth.

February 24: Work Your Proper Hours Day

Feb 24 is Work Your Proper Hours Day. This date is when the average worker in the UK who does unpaid overtime finishes the unpaid days they do every year and starts working for themselves. 

It is estimated that over 5 million people did unpaid overtime in 2011. And with an average of 7.2 hours of unpaid overtime, the TUC estimate this is worth £29.2 billion to the UK economy. In Scotland, the number of people who do unpaid overtime has increased by 5% from 2010 to 417,000 people in 2011.

The TUC have calculated that the highest number of workers working unpaid overtime are concentrated in the public sector, where 27.8% of all employees work unpaid overtime compared to 18.6% of private sector employees. In Scotland, two-thirds of public sector workers are women and as job cuts and pay freezes continue in the public sector, it is likely that more and more women will be expected to do more for less.

The proportion of employees in their late 50s and early 60s working unpaid overtime has increased sharply in the last decade, but those aged 35-54 are still working the most hours of unpaid overtime. This is perhaps is not surprising as the majority of the workforce will fall into that age category and it coincides with the pivotal point for many individuals progressing their careers.

The TUC argue this is equivalent to approximately 1 million full-time equivalent jobs, but acknowledge that the presenteeism culture of many workplaces in the UK is part of the problem, rather than the unpaid overtime translating directly into jobs.

Presenteeism has a profound effect on women’s participation in the labour market. Workplace culture can be a barrier to women’s retention and progression within the workplace. The need to be seen to be putting in the extra hours do not fit with the family-friendly working practices many women (and men) need. This is particularly acute when we consider that the age profile of highest level of unpaid overtime coincides with the point at which many women may be thinking of starting a family, returning to work after a career/maternity break and/or are looking for a promotion that fits round their caring responsibilities.   

Presenteeism in the workplace limits the choices for those who have caring responsibilities, the vast majority of whom are women. As a result women are forced to look for part-time work, often in lower valued and low paid positions or leave the labour market as they cannot afford to work due to the high costs of childcare. As women’s unemployment continues to rise there is an even greater case to ensure that the barriers to women’s participation in the workplace are addressed.

Long hours are bad for our health; cause stress; they wreck relationships; they make caring for children or dependents more difficult; and tired, burnt-out workers are bad for business and economic growth.

Work Your Proper Hours Day website has a long-hours clinic and calculator to check and map your workplace culture.