In the Republic of Moldova, the difference between the average salaries of men and women rises each year. Since 2012 until 2016, the gender pay gap had widened from 12.9% to 14.5%. Owing to the inequitable remuneration, a Moldovan woman in 2016 failed to earn incomes of 11 417 lei on average. To reach the men’s salary, a woman had to work for 52 days more. The data were presented in a news conference at IPN by the Partnership for Development Center on February 21, in connection with the International Equality Pay Day.
Natalia Covrig, analyst for public policies at the Partnership for Development Center, said the gender pension gap at the national level rose from 16.26% in 2012 to 18.08% in 2016. Thus, a woman pensioner in 2016 collected by 3 236 lei on average less than a man pensioner. In the municipality of Chisinau, the situation is more accentuated, the annual discrepancy being of 7 262 lei on average.
According to Natalia Covrig, the law obliges employers to offer equal pays to women and men who hold the same posts and provide the same work at companies, but these provisions are ignored. “The pay and pension gaps widen constantly and with quick steps. The problem is serious and urgent measures need to be taken,” stated the expert.
Ian Feldman, chairman of the Council for the Prevention and Elimination of Discrepancy and Ensuring of Quality, said the institution he heads receives an increasing number of complaints from women who invoke the restricting of access to a particular job by employers. Particular restrictions are stipulated in the work contract and this leads to inappropriate remuneration. The women should be promoted to administrative posts and be involved in decision making and should not work where they are paid less.
Dumitru Roman, the representative of the Office of the People’s Ombudsman, said that by offering lower salaries to women, their access to social and medical services of a higher quality is limited.
Andrei Brighidin, Director for Development and Evaluation at East Europe Foundation, said one of the required measures is to introduce the notion of equal pay for work of equal value in the legislation. An equitable system of assessing jobs should be implemented and measures should be taken to increase transparency of the pay system.
Alina Andronache, consultant at the Partnership for Development Center, said that if the proposed measures are not implemented, the gender pay gap will increase annually.
