International Women’s Day is a global day that celebrates the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also represents a call to action to accelerate gender parity. In the Brazilian workplace, this issue remains a cause for concern and discussion.
The work hour of a woman is still worth a quarter less than that of a man in the largest country in Latin America. Instead of reflecting differences such as education or experience, the wage gap seems to reflect discriminatory practices and social norms, despite the Brazilian Constitution guaranteeing the same rights to men and women.
A new World Bank study reveals that if this inequality were completely eliminated from the labor market, not only women—but also the national economy—could reap the benefits.
The report Gender Equality and Economic Growth in Brazil considers a hypothetical set of anti-discrimination laws aimed at promoting equal pay between men and women. And while the immediate consequence of this policy is an increase in household income, many other effects can be felt in the long term.
A higher income leads to a greater level of private savings, which has a direct positive effect on growth, as well as on tax revenues, according to the report. Additionally, higher tax revenues also lead to greater public spending on health and education, which generates positive impacts on the health of children and adults.
Still a Minority
Women already represent almost 44% of the Brazilian workforce. Furthermore, 59.3% of Brazilian companies have a woman among the main owners. They have also outperformed men at all levels of education. Nevertheless, Brazilian women are still treated unequally by the labor market—and continue to bear the greatest burden of time dedicated to family tasks.
Some lawmakers have attempted to pass legislation to reduce the gender gap in the labor market, but none have succeeded so far. The bill proposed in 2009 (P) by Bahia congresswoman Alice Portugal, for example, mandates equal pay and the creation of a gender equality committee in all Brazilian companies. However, it has never been voted on by the Chamber of Deputies.
Outside Congress, an initiative from the Secretariat of Public Policies for Women has proven more successful: a pro-gender equity program (P).
Of the 16 companies that joined in the first edition (2005/2006), 11 were eligible for the “pro-equity seal,” which recognizes companies committed to ensuring equal pay and opportunities for all. In the fourth edition, held between 2011 and 2012, 81 companies joined. Still, they are a minority among Brazilian companies.