Audit media organisations for gender pay gap, IFJ urges

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and Media Diversity Institute (MDI) has called for all media organisations to be audited to assess the gender pay gap. The organisations have also urged the introduction of mandatory pay transparency policies, the adoption of non-discrimination policies and collective agreements to eliminate bias, harassment and violence at work to ensure a safe working place.This is in light of the increasing gender pay gap, which is now globally approaching 20%, with women in journalism being no exception and consistently paid less than their male counterparts.On World Equal Pay Day, commemorated on 18 September, the IFJ and MDI urged governments to implement legislation aimed at closing the gender pay gap in journalism and for the media industry to adopt concrete policies to eradicate wage discrimination.A multitude of studies, including reports from industry watchdogs, labour organisations and academic institutions, revealed that the gender pay gap in journalism spans across all continents, media organisations and beats. "The global figure is estimated at 20%, according to the Interntional Labour Organisation (ILO) 2023 global report. This means that women earn on average 80% of what men earn. At the current rate, it will take at least until 2086 to achieve wage equality worldwide, according to estimates by the ILO. In journalism, one of the reasons for this pay disparity is the poor presence of women in senior, highly-paid positions. Glass ceilings continue to limit their access to executive roles, editorial leadership and management, the IFJ said. "Many women are funnelled into lower-paying sectors such as lifestyle or culture reporting, while men dominate higher-paid fields like politics, business or investigative reporting."It is further noted that another important factor is that women journalists are more likely to take on freelance or part-time roles in an effort to balance care-giving responsibilities, where pay is often inconsistent. This ultimately means that time and travel expenses for investigative and editorial work not remunerated, benefits are scarce, and job security is limited, the organisations said."The pay gap is even more pronounced for women of colour, LGBTQ individuals and those from marginalised communities, who face multiple layers of discrimination."jemima@nmh-hub.com.na

Audit media organisations for gender pay gap, IFJ urges

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-12

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Audit media organisations for gender pay gap, IFJ urges

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-12

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