The government must implement the laws strictly and have all companies and organisations make public data on male, female employment and the pay gap

It’s a global reality that women earn less than men for doing the same work. However, the pay gap in Nepal is much higher than the world average. If the global average gender pay gap is 20 per cent, it is almost 10 percentage points higher in the Nepali context. A comprehensive Labour Force Survey, prepared for the first time this year by the Central Bureau of Statistics, has shown that women earn 29.45 per cent less than their male counterparts even if the two have the same level of education. The pay gap between genders exists at all levels of education – from basic right up to the doctoral degrees. Even female workers with a doctorate degree earn 5.7 per cent less than their male counterparts.

There are many factors behind the gender pay gap not only in Nepal but worldwide. The deeply-rooted patriarchal mindset, which presumes that men are physically and mentally more capable than women, sets the tone for not only discrimination in pay against women but also in providing them access to any type of work. This perhaps explains why the participation of women in Nepal’s workforce, though rising, is so low. Occupational segregation is another factor for the gender pay gap. Occupational segregation based on gender occurs due to assumptions that certain work is best suited for women – or men – rather than recruiting them based on their talent or skills. This depresses women’s wages, which has telling effect on the family’s overall income, subsequently hurting the national economy. It has shown that occupations where men dominate tend to be better paid regardless of skills or education levels. When work is done predominantly by women, it is valued less in the labour market. Bias against working women is another factor behind the pay gap as women are viewed as ‘moms’ who would be better sitting at home looking after the household and bringing up the children rather than taking up a man’s job in the workplace. Long leaves due to pregnancies and childbirth make them less desirable at the workplace, encouraging pay adjustments.

Nepal’s constitution has prohibited gender-based discrimination of any kind, and has ensured equal pay and work-related benefits for equal work. But the provisions in the statute and the laws alone are not going to ensure equal pay for women at the workplace. While such gender pay gaps are more rare in the government workplaces, they are widely prevalent in the private sector, especially in the informal and construction sectors. The government must implement the laws strictly and have all companies and organisations make public data on male, female employment and the pay gap. Eliminating salary negotiations could be another way to deal with the problem of gender pay gaps. Gender composition of the governing bodies of organisations could also help reduce the gender pay gaps. A better understanding of the socio-cultural reasons as to why we have a gender bias in us could perhaps help eliminate the prejudices we have against working women. Reducing the gender pay gap is good for any organisation. It helps boost the morale of the employees while making it evident to new candidates that they are entering a company with fair opportunities to all.

Water crisis

The locals of Martadi, the district headquarters of Bajura, staged a rally Wednesday, demanding repairs of a damaged water pipeline at the earliest. The people have been reeling under an acute shortage of drinking water after the water pipeline was cut off during the construction of a road. The agitating people also padlocked the office of Badimalika Municipality, alleging its officials were not serious about the water crisis in the area. The locals said the road was constructed by the municipality, and it was its responsibility to repair it.

It is difficult to run life without access to safe drinking water. The municipality officials and the contractor who built the road should have taken extra precaution to keep the water pipeline safe and intact at the time of its construction. It also should not have taken a long time to repair the pipeline, which is the only source of drinking water for the people of the district headquarters. The concerned authorities must keep in mind that no construction works should be carried out by affecting the daily life of the people.