GENDER EQUALITY SALARY WOMEN
Asia – Women in Asia are still being paid less than their male counterparts, causing companies in the region to lose around $89 billion (S$111b) annually in terms of untapped productivity and misplaced human resources.
Data from the United Nations, cited in a new survey by the Asia Society, found women were also underrepresented in top leadership positions.
“Some economies in Asia with the highest human development rankings also perform most poorly in some measures of women’s leadership,” the survey reported, referring mainly to Japan and South Korea.
Salary gaps between genders in Japan and South Korea are significant, at 60% and 51% respectively.
“To continue in this direction would put in peril Asia’s many achievements,” the study, which took into account women’s status in health, education, economic activity and political involvement, reported.
The gap was widest in Pakistan, Nepal, India, South Korea and Cambodia, and narrowest in New Zealand, Australia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Mongolia. Singapore and Malaysia had the narrowest pay gap at 81%, Bloomberg Businessweek reported.
Additionally, the report added because women have a longer lifespan in Asia, such disadvantages will affect their health and earning power over their lifetime.
The report suggested providing support for women in terms of mentoring, more generous parental leaves, childcare and elder care and gender-equal retirement packages would help them accelerate in their career and take up top management positions.
It added support must also be given from an early age, by providing girls with equal learning opportunities and improving women's property rights and other protections to ensure they can contribute fully to society.
_______________________________________________________________________________
To subscribe to Human Resources' monthly print magazines and daily online newsletters, please go to http://www.humanresourcesonline.net/subscribe/
To get the latest HR news to your desktop or mobile, follow Human Resources on Twitter and Facebook
To view exclusive HRTV videos and commentary on HR issues, visit The Office Snitch
More quality Lighthouse titles
Get your marketing department up to speed with Asia's most read marketing site
marketing-interactive.com
Want to get on the right side of the procurement department?
Direct them to Procurement Asia
