The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the eighth of which is "decent work and economic growth", namely: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all. 

Under this major goal, there are twelve targets, the fifth of which is "By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value".

● Current Situation

About the World

Global Gender Pay Gap 

Globally, Pay gap between female and male is 23%, which means that female average income is 77% of male's.  The gap is even greater for women of color, immigrant women or with children. These pay gaps affects females’daily life and their families. 

Photo source: un.org

It is estimated that by 2021, the widespread impact of COVID-19 may have plunged 96 million people into extreme poverty. The total number of women and girls who live only 1.90 dollars a day will reach 435 million. In the past 27 years, gender inequality has decreased by only 2%. Meanwhile, the income of women is still lower than that of men. Such phenomenon are common in both developed and developing countries.

Text source: cnwomen.com.cn

About China

Female Overall Income Lower than Male

Salary is an important factor to measure positions in the workplace. Although the concept of "equal pay for equal work" has been put forward for many years and written into the Labor Law of the People's Republic of China, the phenomenon that men's average salary is higher than women’s is still common in both developed and developing countries.

Photo source: fy.wenming.cn

According to the survey data from Report on the Current Situation of Women's Workplace in China 2020 released by Zhaopin and Baobao Tree in 2020, the overall female income is still 17% lower than that of male, but the gap is further narrowed compared with 23% last year.

Text source: ifeng.com

●  Cases

About the World

EU Equal Pay Movement

Europe has a long history in pay gal between female and male workers. In November 2020, the European Commission proposed binding measures on wage transparency. Women account for the highest proportion of low paid front-line jobs that provide the most basic and necessary community services. In informal work outside the social labor security system, women also account for a very high proportion. 

The European Commission believes that an adequate minimum wage may help to balance structural gender inequality, as women earn the minimum wage far more than men in the labour market. The European Commission has proposed to establish common EU rules for the European minimum wage.

Text and photo source: 126.com

Technology Giants Signed Equal Pay Pledge

In early 2018, the software giant Adobe announced that it had eliminated the gender wage gap of employees in the United States and India, realized equal pay for equal work, and promoted the diversified and inclusive development of employees. Previously, the income of female employees in the same position was 1 cent less than that of men for every dollar. Adobe promised that this situation would not happen in the future, and Adobe would hire more female employees to promote the diversified development of the enterprise.

Adobe and many technology giants, including Facebook, Apple and Microsoft, have signed the Equal Pay Pleadge, making joint efforts to promote the diversified development of technology enterprises in order to eliminate the gender pay gap.

Text and photo source: pconline.com

About China

Shen Jilan Pushed Forward "Equal Pay” Written in Constitution

Shen Jilan was born in December 1929, deputy secretary of the general Party of Xigou village, Pingshun County, Shanxi Province. She was the Representative of the first to thirteenth National People's Congress. In September 2019, she was awarded the "Medal of the Republic".

Photo source: xinhua.net

Shen Jilan actively protected women's labor rights in China and advocated and promoted the inclusion of equal pay in the constitution. In order to truly liberate women, Shen Jilan went from house to house to publicize the truth that "labor can be liberated" to women. At the same time, she tried to do the ideological work of male members and actively strive for equal pay for equal work between men and women. In September 1954, at the first National People's Congress of the people's Republic of China, the initiative of "equal pay for men and women for equal work" put forward by Shen Jilan was written into the first Constitution of the People's Republic of China.

Text source: Beijing Daily

First Equal Pay Village in China

Baozi village, Yanglongsi Town, Xifeng County, Guiyang City, Guizhou Province is known as "the first village in China where men and women receive equal pay for equal work", which is a place that breeds the spirit of the times of "women's style and dare to be first".

Photo source: sina.com

The history of Baozi village is remarkable. In 1954, women in Baozi village took the lead in putting forward the rights and interests requirement of "working on the same day and counting the same work points for men and women" in view of the problem of different pay for equal work for men and women. Up to now, women in Baozi village still play a major role in economic and social development. By the end of 2014, all poverty-stricken households were cleared out of poverty, and the per capita income reached 15,000 yuan. It has been awarded the honorary titles of "National Women's Education Base", "National Women's Demonstration Village", "National Civilized Village" and "National Democracy and Rule of Law Demonstration Village".

Text source: Legal Daily 

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.