Pay of Women and Men: Situation and Tendencies

Abstract

The paper presents situation and tendencies of women’s and men’s pay through the prism of gender equality in Lithuania. It analyzes the gender pay gap, its causes and provides recommendations on how to reduce the gender pay gap. The statistical analysis of the data revealed that women earn less than men in almost all sectors and all fields of economic activity. The most salient gender pay gap remains in the private sector as well as finance and insurance, information and communications, i. e. there, where men compose the largest part of employees and where is required high qualification. Gender segregation in the labour market, the gender stereotypes, the weaknesses of organization’s human resources management, underestimation of women’s competence and the absence of ability to combine family and work are ones of the most essential reasons of gender pay gap. In order to solve the gender pay gap problem, it is necessary to educate and train the public, to promote women’s entrepreneurship, to improve the legal framework, to create conditions for women and men to combine work and family, to raise employers’ awareness and change their attitude towards employees.