![](\"https:\/\/archive.womennet.amwp-content\/uploads\/2020\/09\/EQUAL-WORK-EQUAL-PAY.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
International Equal Pay Day, celebrated for the first time this 18 September, represents the longstanding efforts towards the achievement of equal pay for work of equal value. It further builds on the United Nations commitment to human rights and against all forms of discrimination, including discrimination against women and girls.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Across all regions, women are paid less than men, with the gender pay gap estimated at 23 per cent globally. Gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls continues to be held back owing to the persistence of historical and structural unequal power relations between women and men, poverty and inequalities and disadvantages in access to resources and opportunities that limit women\u2019s and girls\u2019 capabilities. Progress on narrowing that gap has been slow. While equal pay for men and women has been widely endorsed, applying it in practice has been difficult. According to the World Economic Forum, if it continues at this pace, it will take about 257 years to close the global gender pay gap.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
In order to ensure that no one is left behind, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) address the need to achieve gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls. Furthermore, the SDGs promote decent work and economic growth by seeking 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. Mainstreaming of a gender perspective is crucial in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Achieving equal pay is an important milestone for human rights and gender equality. It takes the effort of the entire world community and more work remains to be done. The United Nations, including UN Women and the International Labour Organization (ILO) invites Members states and civil society, women\u2019s and community-based organizations and feminist groups, as well as businesses and workers\u2019 and employers\u2019 organizations, to promote equal pay for work of equal value and the economic empowerment of women and girls.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Live Event<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n International Equal Pay Day 2020: Building back a better future of work by ensuring pay equity<\/p>\n <\/p>\n On the occasion of the first International Equal Pay Day, and in the midst of the fallout from the global COVID-19 pandemic, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) will host a virtual global Call to Action to encourage all labor market actors to take the necessary steps to ensure that equal pay is at the heart of recovery efforts worldwide.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n