Statement: Equal pay – a fundamental right and a cornerstone of sustainable development and gender equality
UN Women statement for International Equal Pay Day, 18 September 2025
On International Equal Pay Day, UN Women stands in solidarity with women workers across the globe in the ongoing effort to close the gender pay gap and achieve equal pay for work of equal value.
Three decades ago, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action committed governments to legislate and enforce equal pay for work of equal value—a pledge reaffirmed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Yet, deep-rooted and systemic inequalities persist. Women still earn on average 20 per cent less than men worldwide, with even wider gaps for women from racial and ethnic minorities, women with disabilities, and migrant women. This discriminatory gap erodes women’s rights, undermines income security, and holds back inclusive, sustainable economic growth.
With less than five years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda, UN Women underscores the urgency of coordinated action to close the gender pay gap. As a co-lead of the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) alongside ILO and OECD, we continue to advance this agenda in partnership with governments, employers, workers’ organizations, international institutions, and research bodies. Governments must set the legal and policy frameworks for wage equity and decent work; employers must embed them through transparent pay practices, equity audits, and gender-responsive workplaces; and workers’ organizations must drive social dialogue and collective bargaining. With evidence and technical support from international institutions and research bodies, and the active engagement of the private sector, civil society, and academia, we can eliminate the pay gap and realize women’s full economic empowerment.
As the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly opens in New York, we reaffirm the UN Charter’s call for international cooperation and respect for human rights. Equal pay for work of equal value, enshrined in ILO Convention 100, is both a fundamental right and a cornerstone of sustainable development and gender equality. We call on all stakeholders to renew their commitment, join EPIC, and step up collective action to close the gender pay gap once and for all.
