September 18 was first marked as International Equal Pay Day by the United Nations General Assembly in 2019, following the efforts of the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), which is led by the International Labour Organisation (ILO), UN Women, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The idea behind this day is simple but important—to remind governments, employers, and societies that equal pay is not just a principle written in laws but something that must reflect in actual paychecks. It is both a symbolic and a practical call to action.
What does equal pay actually mean
It is a marker of how much further the world has to go before pay equality is achieved. The United Nations says International Equal Pay Day highlights the importance of equal pay for work of equal value. This day is a reminder that women, on average, still earn less than
men for the same or similar work.
All we can summarise in simple words is that it is about fairness. If two people do similar jobs irrespective of their genders or same gender for that matter, they should be paid the same. Yet, the data continues to show gaps.
Global pay gap
The World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2025 states that the world has closed only 68.8% of the gender gap so far. That means more than 30% of the gap still exists. If we keep moving at the current speed, it will take 123 years to reach full equality in pay and opportunity. In 2021, women in the EU earned on average 12.7% less per hour than men. By 2023, the gap narrowed slightly to about 12.0% (Eurostat, 2023).
How are we forgetting the United States here, women made approximately 85 cents for each dollar made by men in 2024 according to the Pew Research Center. They discovered that the disparity has closed only minutely in twenty years. For younger employees, the disparity is lesser, with women between the ages of 25–34 receiving around 95 cents for each male dollar, but the gap increases with age (Pew Research, 2025).
Australia’s Workplace Gender Equality Agency, in 2025, reported that women, on average,earned considerably less than men, with the gap being a major priority of policy discussions (Reuters, 2025).
In India, the situation is more concerning. The Global Gender Gap Report 2025 by the World Economic Forum ranked India 131 out of 148 countries. India ranks 131 out of 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025, with a gender parity score of about 64.1–64.4%
Regional differences
Some countries are making faster progress. Iceland has closed 92.6% of its gender gap and has led for 16 years. Nordic countries like Finland, Norway, and Sweden also rank high due to strong laws and family policies. Belgium reports one of the lowest. Luxembourg
even shows a slight reverse gap, with women earning marginally more than men.
In contrast, countries like South Korea have the highest pay gap among OECD nations, with women earning 31.2% less than men. Belgium has the lowest gap in the OECD, at just 1.1%1. In the European Union, Luxembourg has even reversed the gap slightly, with
women earning 0.7% more than men.
India’s numbers: Where do we stand?
India ranks 131st out of 148 countries in the Global Gender Gap Report 2025. That is a drop from 129th place last year. India’s overall gender parity score is 64.1%, which meanswe still have a long way to go.
India has reached high parity in educational attainment, but economic participation remains very low at 40.7%. Women continue to earn less and are underrepresented in leadership roles.
Why the pay gap matters
The gender pay gap has impacts extending beyond the salary. Impacts on savings,pensions, and financial independence are affected. Midlife women likely in their 40s tend to have less money set aside for retirement. They might rely more on family or government assistance. This isn’t only an individual problem, it’s an economic problem.
The pay gap does not only affect individuals. It affects families, communities, and entire economies. Lower wages imply that women save less and invest less, with implications for retirement security.
It affects family income, particularly in one-income or single-parent households. Pay gaps lower overall productivity. The International Labour Organisation has found that equal pay could increase global GDP by trillions of dollars.
Why do pay gaps exist?
The reasons are not one single factor, but many. Such as:
Men and women often work in different jobs. Sectors dominated by women, such as teaching or caregiving, have lower income than male-dominated fields like engineering or finance.
Women professionals take breaks for caregiving, whether for children or elderly parents.This pause slows down their earnings growth, while men often continue to climb the wage ladder.
Even within the same company or field, fewer women reach senior posts or key managerial/leadership positions, or CXO level where salaries are higher.
Studies show that when organisations publish salary ranges, gaps tend to shrink.
What’s the solution?
Pay transparency laws: In the EU, large companies now have to publish gender pay data,making hidden pay gaps visible and harder to ignore.
Stronger legal safeguards: According to the World Bank’s Women, Business and the Law 2025, countries with clear equal pay laws see smaller gaps in practice.
Supportive workplace practices: Flexible schedules, childcare support, and parental leave help women continue their careers without being penalised for family responsibilities.
Corporate accountability: Many organisations now run yearly pay audits and share the findings, holding themselves responsible for closing hidden disparities.
Personalised coaching for women: Programs like She-Marches by Marching Sheep equip women with skills and confidence to thrive at work.
A day for data, not just dialogue
The numbers tell us that women around the world still earn less than men, even in the same or similar jobs. Globally, women still earn roughly 15–20% less than men on average,depending on the country and data source.
International Equal Pay Day is a chance to put the data at the centre of the conversation. Because until the numbers move closer to equality, the story of equal pay is still unfinished. It is a day to look at the numbers. The facts show that the world is moving, but slowly. Some countries are doing better than others. India has made progress ineducation but still lags in pay and leadership. This day is a reminder to keep checking the data, keep asking questions, and keep working toward a world where equal work means equal pay