The percentage of the pay gap in Cyprus has improved over time, said Labour Minister Zeta Emilianidou in her message marking Equal Pay Day on Sunday, but that this ‘in no way leads to complacency’.
According to the latest Statistical Service data for 2018, the pay gap in Cyprus is at 10.4%, lower than the EU average of 14.1%, ranking Cyprus in the 9th best position among the EU Member States in this area, Emilianidou said.
“In recent years, we have achieved a significant reduction of the pay gap from 15.6% in 2012 to 10.4%, a decrease of 33%. This reduction in no way leads to complacency, but to our continued commitment to further reduction, with the ultimate goal of completely eliminating the wage gap between men and women for the same work, or work of equal value,” she added.
Emilianidou noted that the selection of February 7 as Equal Pay Day is symbolic to indicate that a working woman has to work until February 7 to earn the salary that a working man earned until December 31 of last year. “This is the real effect of the pay gap between men and women,” she said.
The Minister further stressed that despite the current ‘unprecedented’ health crisis, her ministry will continue to back “the struggle of working women to secure their incomes while balancing their professional and family lives.”
The mark Equal Pay Day, the Labour Ministry said it will be launching an online information campaign in February as well as an online discussion on the effects of the pandemic on equality between men and women.
Read more:Â Eurostat: Cyprus one of six EU members with no minimum wage
