Women's Movement Published Manifest on Wage Difference Between Women and Men
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Thursday, May 2
According to statistical data presented by women activists today, income difference between men and women in Georgia is 36 % and the government has no vision and strategy to solve this problem.
Today, on May 1, Women's Movement together with the representative of the Labor Union and Ombudsman discussed the economic upliftment of women and the inequality of labor rights. At the session, they discussed existing practices and challenges of Georgian legislation.
The organization Sapari chairman, Baia Pataraia said that income inequality between women and men is due to the fact that men are appointed to managerial positions, while women – to lower positions. According to her, the economic activation of women is in the interest of all states since this process has led to economic strengthening in all countries: “It does not matter whether a country is left-wing or right-wing or what type of economic policy it has, it is in everyone's interest that woman is economically active”.
According to her, it is necessary to create special conditions, including investments that will activate women. At the meeting, Deputy Public Defender Ekaterine Skhiladze remarked that women's economic inequality is not a separate problem and it is complex. According to her, the reason is often the oppression of women, when the violators seek the women to depend on them economically. ”Economic violence is the form of violence that all state agencies need to work more because, despite the progress of law enforcement agencies, which we see lately, they do not know how to react to economic violence” – she said.
Later, the Women's Movement released a manifesto in which women speak about the economic situation.
The Manifesto states that in Georgia: “The woman is much poorer than a man; Per one Gel earned by man, woman is paid 64 Tetris; Women are employed in the lowest-paid sectors; Every fifth woman stays home as a housewife because of her husband’s will; Housewives work at home for 45 hours without reimbursement; Women's work is invisible and unsafe at home; Women who are victims of violence do not have a place to go, they often return to the abuser because of lack of wealth and indifference; The average salary of a man in financial sector is 2 360 GEL higher than the average salary of a woman in the same sector; Today poverty of women in Georgia is not on the agenda of the government, there are no women's economic strengthening vision and policies, there is no legislation aimed at reducing wage difference of 36%.”
The Women's Movement calls on the government to develop and implement economic strengthening policies for women; attract investments and develop caretaker services; develop a methodology for assessment and comparison of labor and create an equal pay mechanism. In addition, they demand the government to elaborate on legislative regulations that provide equal pay for equal work. In addition, they call on the private sector to eliminate sex-based unequal pay.
