According to Belstat, which gender earns more: men or women?
Headline: Belarus' Persisting Gender Pay Gap: A Deep Dive
Let's delve into the salary disparities that persist in Belarus, a situation confirmed by Irina Bondarenko, a representative of Belarus' National Statistical Committee.
In Belarus, women's salaries are typically 25-26% less than their male counterparts, according to data provided by the Statistical Committee. This wage disparity is linked to the gender-specific industries women predominantly work in, where wages are lower than the national average.
The Controversial Wage Gap: An Experiment
In an effort to clarify the situation, the National Statistical Committee conducted an experiment in 2024. By excluding the influence of industry, occupation group, seniority, and education, the committee aimed to determine if the wage gap was indeed due to gender. The result? No significant wage gap based on the worker's gender was found.
Soaring Wages in Belarus
As of January 2025, real wages in Belarus have experienced a notable increase of 13.5% year-on-year (YoY) after 12.5% YoY in December. Of note, the budget sector saw a 13% wage increase, mainly due to a rise in the basic wage rate and additional bonuses. Meanwhile, the non-budget sector is witnessing the most growth in wages in construction (+18.8% YoY), agriculture (+17.5% YoY), and trade (+15% YoY).
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This upward trend in wages is largely attributed to a shortage of labor, which is expected to persist. The high competition for specialists, along with plans to increase wages in the public sector, is predicted to continue pushing wage growth.
The Grimmer Truth: Gender Discrimination in Belarus
Despite the improvements in wage growth, Belarus still grapples with gender discrimination in the labor market. Rephrased, Belarusian NGOs and unions report ongoing violations of gender equality in areas such as discriminatory hiring practices and prohibitions on women in certain professions, directly affecting wage equality.
Gender discrimination persists in hiring, with a list of banned professions still in place for women. Advocacy groups are campaigning for these lists to be abolished to foster equality. Delving deeper, the neglect of unpaid domestic work may obscure a substantial portion of the gender pay gap, as there are no comprehensive statistics that account for this crucial factor.
Regional and Global Perspectives on Wage Gap and Growth
In Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), countries like Poland and North Macedonia have seen rapid minimum wage growth, outpacing Western Europe. However, cases of gender pay inequality remain, with significant gaps still persisting in the region.
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In Belarus, recent reports do not indicate the country has matched the high minimum wage increases seen in neighboring countries. Furthermore, discrepancies in purchasing power can be seen between urban and rural areas in CEE countries, a trend that likely applies to Belarus as well.
In summary, Belarus' efforts to address gender pay inequality are ongoing, with persistent discrimination and structural employment barriers presenting significant challenges. Though wage growth has been noted, the true extent of the gender pay gap may be obscured by rundown occupational segregation and unpaid domestic labor.
[1] "Belarusian women's position in the labour market" (Enrichment Data)
[3] "Regional Trends in Minimum Wages in Central and Eastern Europe" (Enrichment Data)
[5] "The Gender Pay Gap: European Union" (Enrichment Data)
In the ongoing pursuit to combat gender pay inequality in Belarus, it's crucial to address the issue of personal-finance discrepancies, considering the historical disadvantage women face. A thorough examination of the wage trends beyond the influence of industry, occupation group, seniority, and education might help in better understanding the root causes and solutions for finance equality.
Furthermore, as organizations and advocacy groups continue to campaign for the abolishment of banned professions for women and prioritize the recognition of unpaid domestic work, there may be a significant impact on bridging the personal-finance gender gap in Belarus.
