Eradicate the gender pay gap It may seem like a very ambitious goal, but considering that it will take many years to close it, according to figures from the World Economic Forum (WEF), and that many may not see it, must start now.
The Congress of the Union approved the package of reforms sent by the president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, for substantive equality between women and men, among these modifications is the eradication of the wage gap gender.
Until now, the constitutional reform has been endorsed by 12 local conferences of the 17 required, but it seems to be a matter of time before it is ratified.
What happens after the reform has legal effects?
Implementation is the real challenge
Fernanda García, director of the Inclusive Society of the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO), considers that the fact that the eradication of the gender wage gap is in the Constitution is only the beginning, since the mechanisms that will be generated They are where the topic to be analyzed will actually be.
“The challenge for Mexico is not in the legislative framework, but in its implementation, the gap is in implementation, which is why there continues to be a difference in income what women perceive compared to men,” she says.
He assures that it is necessary to take advantage of the opportunity of these 90 days to legislate, How will it be measured in companies? this problem.
“Salary transparencycompanies should have standards that guide them on what they should measure, make transparent? This also has to be defined because it is a way for standards to exist and everyone to do it in the same way,” he warns.
He agrees that companies today They are not aware of the gapthey do not publish it, they do not make it transparent, that is why it is necessary that there are guidelines that allow them, as a first step, to measure it.
“We have a unique opportunity in the country, in the context of having a President for the first time, and she is the one who has put her in the public agenda“, says.
He adds that in order to really land a solution to such a deep problem such as the gender wage gap, and the reality of women can be transformed. women in the labor marketand that it not remain a commitment, it must be promoted.
Keep talking about the gender pay gap
Fátima Masse, economist with a gender perspective and co-founder of Noubi Advisors, believes, even with this initiative, it must be continued talking a lot more about the gender pay gapand analyze why it occurs.
“In reality it is a much deeper problem, because you come to a job and they ask you how much you earn, and obviously, you come from a smaller base, you salary group It is from a different basis or what women who are mothers have to do to continue working. So, it seems to me that we have to talk about the complexity of the phenomenon,” he says.
He warns that not only will the reform equalize the salaries of men and women who perform the same functions; In that sense, he states that there are measures that can be done at the organizational level to to combat this inequality.
The first action should be to know how the pay gap in organizationsbut also in government institutions, what does your pay gap look like? It is the beginning of that change.
According to a study in which the specialist collaborated with a group of women and Global Compact, a business sustainability network, companies do not know how big is your pay disparity.
“The first step for the objectives to really be consolidated is for all employing units to know how big their salary gap is. It is very difficult to measure it, it is complex, because there are bonuses, there are occupations, which let’s say complement the salaries and wages that workers receive and that is where there are many differences too,” he explains.
However, consider that, in measurements and data, in Mexico we are in its infancy. But ultimately these data will give an overview of how these are constructed. professional routeswill be clearly marked, and based on this, other actions can be generated that close the gap.
“I do celebrate this initiative very much. The topic was put back on the table. Of course, it opens the door to later developing programs, even regulations, that can achieve this great desire or this good objective that will be present in the Constitution, but without a doubt, we must make it clear to the audience that there are to work to make this a reality and nothing more remains on paper“, says.
