The pay gap between men and women in Cyprus is 9%, so in Cyprus women earn 91 cents for every 1 euro that men earn, the Commissioner says in her message Gender Equality Iosifina Antoniou for the European Union's Equal Pay Day.
As it reports, women in the EU still earn less than men on average for work of equal value. For every 1 euro that men earn, women earn 87 cents. That is, women in the EU work for free in the last two months of the year.
Despite the fact, Mrs. Antoniou notes, that the position of women in social and professional life has improved, despite the fact that the participation rate of women in the labor market has increased significantly, wage differences remain entrenched.
< p>The Commissioner emphasizes that the factors behind the wage gap between men and women are many and complex, while there are also many obstacles that continue to keep women's advancement at low levels.
These, she notes, are found in the multiple roles that women have, such as the responsibility of caring for the family, children, elderly parents resulting in working on a part-time basis – often working in lower paid sectors while dealing with the problem of “glass ceiling” and the “sticky floor” in terms of their advancement, with progress to reduce and eliminate the pay gap remaining slow.
Ms. Antoniou states that in the National Plan Action for Equality between men and women 2019-2023 one of the seven main objectives is the professional empowerment of women and the reconciliation of work and family.
At the same time, he notes that the intermediate goals of combating harassment and sexual harassment in the workplace, strengthening the ability of social partners to better deal with the problems faced by women in employment and strengthening female entrepreneurship have been defined.
Also, combating gender discrimination in the workplace, reconciling professional and family obligations, encouraging businesses to promote equal pay and gender equality in the workplace in general and the elimination of of unequal pay between men and women.
Finally, Mrs. Antoniou emphasizes that to bridge the pay gap between men and women for work of equal value, collective and effective cooperation of all involved bodies is needed, as well as further measures, policies and support structures that give women equal opportunities in their professional life as well.
