The Gender Pay Gap

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The causes of gender pay gap are multifold and complex. The ultimate driving force perpetuating the rising gender pay gap stems from gender role segregation in Australia and abroad as well as choices made by women. Cultural norms, stereotypes and conservative gender values are implanted into the minds of children from a very early age via parents and educational institutions which in turn are reinforced by social norms witnessed in apparent everyday life. Ideologies regarding female duty to housework and child rearing induce inequality in pay and over the long term gradually widens the gap. The labour market adjusts in a manner to pay women according to what they provide for the market in terms of labour power not primarily due to discrimination …show more content…

Direct discrimination in this context pertains to situations where employees are treated unfavourably due to sex. The phenomenon of glass ceiling exists as a lack of senior positions are taken by women as men are expected to hold top leadership and upper echelon positions. But the fact remains there is simply a lack of part time or flexible senior roles as those role require full time commitment which men are more likely to provide. Furthermore women business owners earn less half of what their male counterparts. Since the entrepreneur herself is the employer she is independent from discrimination. The reason is money is the primary motivator for 76% of men versus 29% of men. (Tobak, 2011)Again this goes back to society’s expectations of men and …show more content…

The duty to take care children should be equally divided between both sexes. Such transition would see a balance of experience, motivation to invest in human capital working hours of both genders. Implementing new award systems and standardised pay reforms would be unproductive and result in failure of the economy as wages reflect labour power. Extending the boundaries of women’s gender roles and delegating housework and child rearing to joint initiatives of both sexes would see a rampant decline in the wage

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