Patricia Arquette raised a valid concern at her Oscars –
Wage Inequality. This is a universal problem. Women do not get paid the same
amount for the same job, as men do
.
While the Sri Lankan laws protect wage inequality in the
public sector, this still does not guarantee performance based promotions. Studies conducted by ILO indicate that men
have a higher chance of getting promoted to certain positions and are also more
likely to reach the top of the corporate ladder.
Glass ceilings and brick walls are prohibiting women from
diverse job roles and reaching the top.
Interestingly, in 2012 the
unemployment rate of women was 6.6% and if the education level was higher – the
unemployment rate was higher. 3.5% with an education level of Grade 10 and
below, 8.8% - General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level (O/L) and
10.8% - GCE Advanced Level (A/L).
The private sector has no laws prohibiting wage inequality. Although women make up 45% of the workforce, gender segregation in occupation is quite prevalent and so is wage inequality. Even though management studies have indicated that women in leadership positions, increase productivity organizations have still not made the jump.
I personally know of many prominent women in Sri Lanka, who have been paid almost 70% less than a man for the same job, even though they had more experience for the role. The reason for this is the male is still seen as the “primary provider”. Companies also don’t want to make allowances for the woman’s responsibilities outside of the company.
Dr. Dileni Gunewardena, lead author of Gender Wage Gaps in
Sri Lanka: Glass Ceilings or Sticky Floors? says, “the evidence is that women
are being paid less than they should be, given their characteristics, rather than
that women are lacking in certain productive characteristics. This indicates
the importance of policies that promote gender equity in the workplace and
combat discrimination. Such policy options may include programmes that reduce
gender stereotyping of roles, the introduction of day-care centres and crèches
at the workplace, parental leave etc.”
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