Media Brunch on Equal Pay: Why Women Work “Almost Two Extra Months” Each Year to Earn the Same Pay

What does equal pay for equal work and work of equal value mean in practice? How can these principles be applied within companies, beyond statements of intent and formal commitments? These questions were at the core of the Media Brunch: Equal Pay, a public dialogue and positioning event organized by UN Women Moldova. The event brought together journalists, content creators, employers, representatives of public institutions and social partners, with the objective of translating a legally and economically complex topic into language that is accessible, accurate and relevant for the wider public.

The event was moderated by Daniel Vodă, Associate Expert in Foreign Affairs and Strategic Communication at the Institute for European Policies and Reforms (IPRE). Discussions started from the statistical reality in the Republic of Moldova: in 2024, women earned on average 16.6% less than men, meaning they received approximately 83.4% of men’s average income. Put simply, to reach the same annual income, women would need almost two additional months of work. The average gross monthly salary of women was MDL 12,787.8, compared to MDL 15,335.8 for men, with an average gap of MDL 2,548. The largest gaps are recorded in information and communications, finance and insurance, as well as health and social assistance. Beyond the social dimension, this gap also has an economic cost: reducing the pay gap by one percentage point could contribute to an approximate 0.1% increase in GDP.

“Beyond social fairness, equal pay is first and foremost a right of every person in employment. It is also a smart decision for companies, because it builds trust, stability and performance, and a cornerstone for national development, because an economy cannot grow sustainably when a significant share of its workforce is underpaid. Equal pay means clear rules, transparency and respect: same work, same pay; different work of equal value, paid fairly. When these principles become practice, it is not only women who benefit, but society as a whole,” said Dominika Stojanoska, UN Women Country Representative.

The Republic of Moldova has made important steps in strengthening the legal framework on pay transparency, which requires medium and large companies to report gender pay gaps and allows employees to request information on pay levels. When the gap exceeds 5% and there is no objective, gender-neutral justification, employers are required to take corrective measures within a reasonable timeframe.

The gender pay gap is driven by multiple, cumulative factors: the concentration of women and men in different sectors, the unequal distribution of unpaid care work, women’s lower access to decision-making positions, opaque pay practices and evaluations influenced by stereotypes, as well as the lack of systematic data that makes inequalities visible. The effects go far beyond statistics. They translate into lower lifetime earnings, reduced contributions, insufficient savings and limited choices, including the ability to invest in education, health or personal safety.

Cezara Nanu, Commissioner for Gender Equality Research and Strategy, highlighted that “These gaps accumulate over time and have a direct impact on living standards, showing that over a 40-year career, the pay gap can translate into a cumulative loss of approximately MDL 1.66 million – the equivalent of almost five years of work.”

In turn, Alina Andronache, gender expert in public policy, advocacy and civic lobbying, stressed that “The pay gap should not be treated as a temporary topic or a matter of opinion. It is not an opinion. It is a real, measurable loss that translates into financial stress, silent sacrifices and postponed decisions: a training course, a home, a child, leaving an abusive environment, or a medical visit.”

Media Brunch: Equal Pay reconfirmed that transparency, clear rules and comparable data are the minimum infrastructure needed to correct pay inequalities, and that the role of the media is critical in translating this topic into accessible public narratives and in maintaining pressure for real, not merely formal, change.