OECD GENDER INITIATIVE: Gender equality in Education

Closing the Gender Gap ACT NOW Ana LLENA-NOZAL Economist, Social Policy Division, OECD

27th February 2013

OUTLINE

• The economic costs of gender inequality • Policies to promote gender equality

In labour force participation gender gaps persist Gender gap in labour force participation (male rates minus female rates), population aged 15-64 2010

2000

1990

1980

Percentage points 60 50 40 30 20 10

0

Source: OECD (2008), Growing Unequal?

12.0

14.0

Even larger gaps persist in other employment outcomes: prevalence of part-time… Percentage of men and women in part-time employment, 2010 Men

Women

Percentage points 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

7.3

8.2

… career progression in the private sector… Women’s shares in the labour force and senior management, 2010 %

Senior manager share

Labour force share

60 50 40 31.6 30 20 10 0

32.0

Gaps in employment outcomes are reflected in the gender pay gap… Gender pay gap for full-time workers

The gender pay gap increases with age and during childbearing… Gender pay gap by presence of children, 25-44 years old

Differences in take-home pay are even larger because women work fewer hours… Gender pay gap for full-time and all workers (part-time and full-time) %

50 45 40 35 30

25 20 15 10 5 0

Full-time workers

All workers

And pay gap contributes to lower pensions Gender pension gap, mandatory schemes, selected OECD countries, 2009

2. Policy considerations

Policy levers

• • • • •

Gender equality policies.

Family policies Tax/benefit policies Monitoring Cooperate with developing and emerging countries to address the gender dimensions of poverty through women’s economic empowerment

Provide paid employment-protected parental leave and promote more equal use among parents •

Provide paid parental leave. Evidence suggests that :

–

–

•

extending parental leave entitlements had a small positive effect on the female-to-male employment ratio but only up to two years of leave; a longer leave has a negative effect on both the female employment rate;

extending paid parental leave had a small positive effect on weekly working hours among women but it was associated with an increase in the gender pay gap among full-time workers;

Encourage fathers to take available parental leave, also by reserving part of the parental leave entitlement for the exclusive and non-transferable use by fathers.

Paid parental leave (supplementary to paid maternity leave), 2008 Gender pay gap age 30-34 % 30

R² = 0.604

SVK

AUT

JPN

25

CZE

20 15

FIN

CAN KOR DEU USA AUS

DNK

NOR

GBR IRL

10

BEL

5 NZL 0 0

50

100

150

Number of paid weeks of parental leave

200

Invest in childcare The OECD gender report shows that:

•

Higher enrolment in formal childcare increases female employment on a full-time and part-time basis, and reduces pay gaps.

Gender pay gaps and enrolment rates in formal childcare 2008 Gender pay gap age 30-34 % 30 SVK JPN

AUT

25 CZE

FIN

20 DEU 15

CAN

KOR USA

AUS IRL

10

R² = 0.564

GBR NZL

NOR

DNK

BEL

5

0 0

80 60 40 20 Enrolment rates of children in formal care, 2008 %

Sources: OECD Family database (www,oecd.org/els/family/database) and OECD Earnings database.

Increase the representation of women in decision-making positions

 Tools:  corporate governance codes, target-

Share of women on boards in listed companies, 2009

setting for leadership positions, disclosure and monitoring of progress in both public and private sectors;

 Some countries have introduced quotas for women in executive and supervisory boards of listed and public companies;

 campaigning and raising awareness to encourage greater participation and representation of women in politics. Source: OECD (2012), Closing the Gender Gap Act Now. (www.oecd.org/gender)

THANK YOU and FURTHER READING!

“Closing the Gender Gap: Act Now” (17 December 2012 at www.oecd.org/gender)