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CLOSING GENDER PAY GAPSPersistent gender pay gaps are a feature of almostall labour markets. 138 Globally, women on averageare paid 24 per cent less than men. At the regionallevel, the pay gap ranges from 33 per cent inSouth Asia to 14 per cent in the Middle East andNorth Africa. In this region, relatively few womenare employed, but those that are tend to be highlyeducated and in well-paid jobs, which accounts forthe lower gender pay gap (Annex 4). Since genderpay gaps can only be calculated reliably for thosein wage employment, these global and regionalfigures understate the real extent of earningsdifferentials in developing countries where selfemploymentis prevalent. 139 Gender pay gapsand women’s lower labour force participation,result in large cumulative gaps in lifetime incomebetween women and men (see Box 2.4). They alsocontribute to women’s disadvantage in pensionincome in later life (see Chapter 3).Gender pay gaps: Progress and regressOverall, gender pay gaps have narrowed slightlyin the last decade, declining between 2000 and2010 in 45 out of 50 countries with available data(see Figure 2.9). But the pace of change has beenslow and large gaps remain in most countries.In Australia, Colombia, Finland, Mongolia andParaguay gender pay gaps have actually widened.Figure 2.9Unadjusted gender pay gap (GPG), 2000 and 2010Gender pay gaps have narrowed in most countries, but sometimes in the context of declining wages for men50Above the linegender pay gaphigher in 2010Wages increased for all, GPG increasedWages increased for all, GPG declinedWages declined for all, GPG declined40NPLAUTWages increased for women and declinedfor men, GPG declinedAUSISRJPN30BRAGPG in 2010 (per cent)2010FINCOLMNGLKAHKGPRYEGYMEXSLVPANMLTUKRPSEBelow the linegender pay gaphigher in 20000HND0 10 20 30 40 50GPG in 2000 (per cent)Source: UN Women calculations using nominal wage data from ILO 2015b and Consumer Price Index data from World Bank 2015d.Note: Wage data used for this analysis refers to mean earnings of employees, and includes remuneration made in cash and in-kind for time worked, work done and paid leave.