Introduction
Women deserve equal pay for the same amount of work done as their male counter parts. While the equal pay act has been the edict for an estimated 50 years, it is imperative that the law is updated to carter for the current issues in equal pay based on gender. Gender equality is a debate that has been for the longest time possible. The rights of women have been, for long, undermined and misrepresented (Hartmann, Hayes & Clark, 2014). Despite the struggle of women to be treated equally as their male counterparts, most of them are still being underpaid across the globe. It is imperative to understand that women should be treated in equal with their male counterparts. The rights of women, especially equal pay, vary across different cultures and regions across the globe. While the disparity in equal pay between male and female workers maybe wide in America, the gap is even wider in other regions such as the Middle East and Africa.
While most cultures do not recognise women's rights, other cultures and countries strive and fight for equal treatment of both women and men. Women’s rights vary from equal pay, equal treatments to the right to similar freedom and obligations as their male counterparts. In most regions across the globe, women are not paid as much as their male counterparts for the same amount of work done within the same duration (Eisenberg, 2010). In America, the average American women have compensated only 79 cents for every dollar that is paid to their male counterparts for the same amount of work, full time all year round. Even worse, the women of colour exhibit even a wider gap in pay with the male counterpart for the same amount of time and work committed.
According to the 2014 Shriver Report, the average annual paychecks for women reflect that they are paid only 77 percent of what the average man earns for the same amount of work. Additionally, the pay equality varies by location and race (Hartmann, Hayes & Clark, 2014). As compared to the white women, women of colour exhibit wider gap in equal pay. The report suggests that women of African America origin earn only 64 percent as compared to their male counterparts. Also, those of Hispanic and Latina origin are only paid 55 percent as compared to their male counterparts. It is important to note that equal pay for women varies by location across the country as well as across the globe. The women in Washington earn a mean of 90 cents for every dollar their male counterparts earn due to transparency in government wages. On the other hand, women in other regions earn way less. For instance, women in Wyoming are paid 64 cents for every dollar earned by their male counterparts for the same amount of work and duration.
The difference in pay that exists between women and men for the same amount of work and time requires immediate and fast attention (Eisenberg, 2010). Women experience a myriad of financial losses as well as reduced motivation to input the sufficient amount of effort required for their assigned jobs. The financial detriments associated with unequal pay hugely affect women. The inequalities associated with women are extremely detrimental to their families as well. According to the 2014 Shriver Report, women who pose high school diploma lose an estimate of 700,000 USD across a lifetime of work while those with a college degree lose close to 1.2 million USD (Hartmann, Hayes & Clark, 2014). The loss is even higher in women are specialised school graduates at two million USD. It is important to note that the financial inequalities exhibited by women follow them into their years after retirement. As a consequence, their social security benefits, savings and pensions are affected.
Equal pay for women is a sensitive subject that should be addressed so as to reward the effort contributed by women in the development of the nation. The reason behind inequality in pay between women and men is attributed to gender inequality. Most people still subscribe to the school of thought that a man is better than a woman in more ways than one. While that school of thought is not true, there are some types of works that only men can handle effectively. Similarly, there are some jobs that only women can handle effectively. However, for a normal-leveled job that does not regard gender differences, both men and women should be treated, if not paid, equally for the same amount of work and duration.
References
Eisenberg, D. T. (2010). Shattering the Equal Pay Act's glass ceiling.Southern Methodist
Hartmann, H., Hayes, J., & Clark, J. (2014). How equal pay for working women would reduce
poverty and grow the American economy. Institute for Women’s Policy Research.
Retrieved from http://www. iwpr. org/publications/pubs/how-equalpay-for-working-
women-would-reduce-poverty-and-grow-the-americaneconomy Two Generation
Approaches to Poverty Reduction and the EITC.
