Everything You (N)ever Wanted To Know About The Gender Pay Gap

“You can’t solve a problem without studying it well” we emphasise at our fact-checking organisation.

But in the case of this Economist article, a solution to the gender pay gap feels further out of reach than ever. Here we are presented with stark statistics about the “motherhood penalty” women suffer—a 4% drop in future earnings per child, according to an American study cited—serving to connect and solidify what I sense around me.

Employers view long hours as a sign of commitment and leadership potential. But from scarce, pricey child care to short school days, the world is organised for families with a parent at home—and that is usually the mother.

Of course, the article focuses on the developed world, which does not serve to illuminate my corner of the globe. But it serves to strengthen my feelings of helplessness when it comes to solutions offered.

State-subsidised childcare? My government battles to provide schools with sanitation and electricity. More flexible working arrangements? Well, try negotiating that with the men who continue to dominate senior positions. Longer and paid paternity leave? Of no use to the many surviving in the informal sector.

That said, it’s an important summary—but brace yourself.