Gender earning gaps around the world: a study of 64 countries

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to analyze gender disparities in labor earnings for a comprehensive set of 64 countries. Design/methodology/approach -Using the methodological approach proposed by Ñ opo, socio-demographic characteristics are used to match males and females such that gender earnings disparities are computed only among individuals with the same observable characteristics. Findings -Disparities are partially attributed to gender differences in observable socio-demographic and job characteristics. After matching males and females with the same characteristics, the authors found that the earnings gap falls within a range between 8 per cent and 48 per cent of average females' earnings, being more pronounced in South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa. The unexplained earnings gaps are more pronounced among part-time workers and those with low education levels. Originality/value -This paper presents a comprehensive view of gender earnings gaps in the world, simultaneously exploring many of the issues highlighted in the related literature. It adds value by exploring gender gaps in a comparative perspective, applying the same methods for several different countries.

Wage Inequality in Latin America: Understanding the Past to Prepare for the Future

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Which Gender Wage Gap Estimates to Trust? A Comparative Analysis

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A Field Experiment on the Role of Socioemotional Skills and Gender for Hiring in Turkey

“…This may be particularly important considering that women experience higher rates of joblessness or long-term unemployment in most countries. While there is no consensus on the existence of gender discrimination in hiring (see Bertrand and Duflo, 2017 for a review), there is ample evidence on the existence of a gender wage gap (Blau andKahn 2017, andÑopo, Daza andRamos 2012), and that, among other factors, such gender wage gap may, to some degree, be explained by the differences in socioemotional skills between men and women (Palomino and Peyrache, 2010;Cobb-Clark and Tan, 2011). Furthermore, gender differences in preferences and actions are important in labor market outcomes.…”