Dr Sumita Ketkar, Senior Lecturer in the School of Organisations, Economy and Society in Westminster Business School has co-authored a policy brief with academics at the International Management Institute Kolkata (IMI-Kolkata) which provides practical steps to policymakers to help bridge the gender pay gap. The policy brief has been published on Think20 India’s (T20) website which is an official engagement group of the G20.
The policy brief was co-authored with Roma Puri and Sahana Roy Chowdhury, both Associate Professors in International Management at IMI-Kolkata.
The policy brief outlines that the gender pay gap (GPG) is a complex issue that various forums, including the G20, have attempted to discuss. It states that mitigating the GPG requires large-scale transformative changes, but constraints on financial resources and public spending, along with cultural norms and deep-seated societal beliefs, make it a difficult task. The authors argue that proposed actions must therefore be economically prudent and actionable.
The policy brief offers five recommendations for the G20 to help bridge the gender pay gap. These include introducing pay transparency legislation; mandating data-driven gender budgeting; increasing emphasis on parental leave; promoting women in STEM subjects; and engaging with the industry by proposing initiatives such as exclusive women-only portals, reporting on gender, facilitating leadership programmes and ‘de-biasing’ organisations.
The authors hope that these proposals can help policymakers to move the needle on gender equity, promote social justice, and improve economic outcomes.
Speaking about her policy brief being published by Think20 in an idea bank for G20 leaders, Dr Ketkar said: "Given that the G20 is home to two-thirds of the world’s population and 85 percent of global GDP, there is a moral and an economic argument for bridging the gap between men and women. Equally, it is important to recognise that the G20 comprises very diverse economies and hence any actions planned must be implementable and viable. Only then can the G20 countries move the needle on gender equity, promote social justice, and improve economic outcomes."
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