What’s the Difference Between the Gender Wage Gap vs. Unequal Pay?

In rural India wages are sharply divided by gender, especially in agricultural labour jobs. Women are routinely underpaid reportedly by as much as 34%, even when doing the same work as men. This is an example of unequal pay. A gender wage gap, on the other hand, has to do with the difference in the number of men vs. women who are working and their average income. Many factors dictate whether or not someone is able to work. For women in India, these factors boil down to socioeconomic and structural discrimination.

While 29% of all teens drop out of school in India, the dropout rate among 15 to 19 year old girls can be as high as 43%. Some girls drop out at puberty. This may be because the family cannot afford feminine products that enable girls to continue their education uninterrupted. Economically disenfranchised families are also typically less educated, and more inclined to assign stereotypical roles. Thus housework and care of both older and younger siblings may be prioritized as a girl’s work over her education.

India’s challenges in closing the gender wage gap and unequal pay include the need to address social norms of injustice against women.

Our hope at Tiyara is that, as a result of our scholarships, young Indian women can break free from socioeconomic constraints, and have the opportunity to live fulfilling lives broadened by education. You can meet some of them here. Our mission to expand horizons through education can be achieved with your help.