ILO Highlights Persistent Global Gender Pay Gap as Women Earn 18 Percent Less Than Men

The International Labour Organization (ILO) has renewed its focus on the persistent gender pay gap, reporting that women around the world earn, on average, 18 percent less than men. The finding was highlighted by the UN labour agency on International Equal Pay Day, observed on September 18, as part of its broader call for stronger measures to promote equal pay for work of equal value.

The latest ILO message places pay inequality within a wider discussion about workplace structures, wage transparency, job evaluation, labour rights and women’s participation in economic decision-making. The organization says closing the gap requires coordinated action involving governments, employers and workers.

Global Pay Gap Remains a Major Labour-Market Issue

The gender pay gap measures the difference between the earnings of women and men. It is influenced by a range of factors, including the types of jobs people enter, access to senior positions, working hours, career interruptions, occupational segregation and the way different forms of work are valued.

The ILO’s latest International Equal Pay Day statement says women globally earn 18 percent less than men. The figure demonstrates that differences in earnings remain a significant feature of labour markets despite decades of legislation and international commitments aimed at improving gender equality.

The organization has also emphasized that the issue extends beyond situations in which a woman and a man perform exactly the same job. The principle of equal pay for work of equal value considers whether different jobs requiring comparable levels of skills, responsibility, effort and working conditions are being rewarded fairly.

Why the Difference in Pay Persists

The global pay gap does not have a single cause. Labour markets are shaped by education, occupation, industry, working arrangements, family responsibilities and access to opportunities.

Women are often concentrated in sectors and occupations where average wages are lower. At the same time, they can face barriers to reaching senior and higher-paid positions.

Career interruptions associated with childcare and other family responsibilities can also influence lifetime earnings. Differences in working hours and access to flexible employment may affect total income and opportunities for advancement.

The ILO has repeatedly identified occupational segregation, discrimination, unequal access to opportunities and the unequal distribution of unpaid care responsibilities as factors that can contribute to persistent gender inequalities in employment and wages.

Pay Transparency Gains Greater Importance

One of the measures highlighted by the ILO is greater pay transparency.

Transparent wage structures can make it easier for workers, employers and regulators to identify unexplained differences in remuneration. Clear criteria for determining salaries, promotions and benefits can also reduce uncertainty about how compensation decisions are made.

The ILO has called for stronger institutions and workplace practices that make remuneration systems more transparent and objective. Its 2026 guidance on pay equity also highlights tools such as objective job evaluation, wage policies, labour inspection, social protection and care policies as part of a broader approach to reducing gender pay disparities.

Equal Pay Is Broader Than Identical Jobs

A key element of the ILO’s approach is the distinction between equal pay for equal work and equal pay for work of equal value.

Equal pay for equal work generally concerns employees performing the same or substantially similar jobs. The wider concept of work of equal value recognizes that two jobs can be different while requiring comparable levels of skill, responsibility, effort and working conditions.

This distinction is particularly relevant in industries where men and women are concentrated in different occupations. Without objective job evaluation, work traditionally associated with women can be undervalued even when it requires substantial expertise and responsibility.

The ILO’s Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 (No. 100), establishes the principle of equal remuneration for men and women for work of equal value.

The Role of Governments

Governments play an important role in creating the legal and institutional environment needed to address wage inequality.

This can include legislation against discrimination, systems for wage determination, labour inspection mechanisms, social protection and policies that support workers with family responsibilities.

The ILO has also emphasized the importance of implementing and enforcing equal-pay principles rather than relying only on formal commitments.

National labour-market data is another important component. Reliable statistics allow governments to identify differences between sectors, occupations and groups of workers and to assess whether policies are producing measurable improvements.

Employers Also Have a Central Role

Businesses can influence pay equality through their recruitment, salary-setting and promotion systems.

Companies can review compensation structures, establish objective criteria for determining salaries and examine whether employees performing work of equal value are receiving comparable remuneration.

Pay transparency can also help employees understand how wages are determined. Clear promotion pathways and objective performance assessments may reduce the potential for unequal treatment.

The ILO has argued that social dialogue between employers and workers is an important part of the process. Collective bargaining can also contribute to establishing fairer wage structures and addressing the undervaluation of particular types of work.

Unpaid Care and Women’s Careers

Another important dimension of the pay gap is the distribution of unpaid care work.

Childcare, eldercare and household responsibilities can influence whether workers are able to accept full-time employment, work longer hours or pursue career opportunities that require relocation or extensive travel.

When women carry a disproportionate share of unpaid care responsibilities, the consequences can extend beyond immediate earnings. Reduced working hours or career interruptions can affect promotions, professional experience and long-term income.

The ILO’s broader gender-equality agenda therefore includes care policies and measures designed to help workers balance employment and family responsibilities.

Progress Requires Better Data

Measuring the gender pay gap accurately is essential for understanding where inequalities exist and how they change over time.

ILO data and research have shown that the size of the gap can vary substantially depending on the methodology used, the population examined and whether wages are measured by the hour, month or year.

The organization’s latest Global Wage Report also demonstrates that gender wage gaps differ across country income groups and that the measurement of pay inequality requires careful analysis of available labour-market data.

Better data can help identify whether differences are concentrated in particular industries, occupations, age groups or employment arrangements.

Equal Pay and the Future of Work

The debate over pay equality is also taking place as workplaces undergo major changes driven by technology, automation, artificial intelligence and new forms of employment.

Changes in the nature of work could create new opportunities for women while also introducing new forms of inequality. Access to digital skills, high-growth occupations and leadership positions may become increasingly important for future earnings.

Ensuring that emerging labour markets are built around transparent and objective wage systems could therefore become an important part of the wider effort to reduce gender disparities.

International Cooperation Remains Important

The ILO’s latest statement emphasizes cooperation among governments, employers and workers. International frameworks provide common principles, while national laws and workplace policies determine how those principles are implemented.

International initiatives such as the Equal Pay International Coalition, jointly managed by the ILO, UN Women and the OECD, have also been established to support efforts to reduce gender wage disparities and promote equal-pay policies.

Such cooperation can help countries exchange policy experiences, improve labour-market data and strengthen mechanisms for implementing equal-pay standards.

A Long-Term Economic and Social Challenge

The gender pay gap is not simply a difference between two wage figures. It can affect household income, lifetime earnings, retirement security and women’s economic independence.

Persistent differences in pay can also influence the wider economy because unequal access to higher-paying employment may prevent economies from fully benefiting from the skills and potential of a large part of the workforce.

The ILO’s renewed focus on the issue therefore connects equal pay with broader questions about decent work, economic participation and labour rights.

The Road Ahead

The latest ILO message on International Equal Pay Day puts the global gender pay gap back at the centre of international labour discussions. With women earning an average of 18 percent less than men globally according to the ILO’s 2026 statement, the organization is calling attention to the structural factors that continue to influence wages.

Reducing the gap will require more than isolated workplace measures. Transparent pay systems, objective job evaluation, effective labour laws, social dialogue, stronger data and policies supporting workers with family responsibilities all form part of the broader response.

As labour markets continue to evolve, the question of how work is valued and rewarded will remain central to efforts to create more equitable employment systems worldwide.