A report released on March 8, 2009 by the International Trade Union Confederation set the global pay gap at 22%, significantly higher than the previously estimated 16.5%.  The report, “Gender in Equality in the Labour Market,” also showed that women with higher levels of education actually experienced a greater pay gap relative to their male coworkers.  Additional topics included the impact of the global economic crisis on women and the cost of violence against women. Read more about the full report here: http://www.ituc-csi.org/spip.php?article2799

In his article published by the Washington Times yesterday, Senator John Kerry warns of the dangerous side effects  of such gender discrimination in education and employment, especially during times of global economic recession:  “At moments like these in developing countries, women are asked to bear the brunt of the hardship. When food is scarce, economists have found that women and girls are pressured to forgo their share altogether so that men and boys have enough to eat. In the same way, we must now make sure that women workers aren’t pushed aside as businesses downsize and that daughters aren’t taken out of school as families search for extra income.“  Read Senator Kerry’s full article here:http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/mar/17/economic-crisis-new-challenges/

WCI calls on governments worldwide to promote economic equality for women and to put an end to violence and discrimination against women in the workplace and at home.