International Equal Pay Day: Closing the Gender Wage Gap

Toronto – September 12, 2025 – Every year on September 18, the world marks International Equal Pay Day, a day established by the United Nations to draw attention to persistent wage inequality between women and men. Despite decades of progress toward gender equality in education and the workplace, women in nearly every country continue to earn les than men for work of equal value.

Globally, women earn on average 20% less than men. For women of colour, Indigenous women, migrant workers, and those in precarious or low-wage jobs, the gap is often wider. In Canada, Statistics Canada reports that women earn about 87 cents for every dollar earned by men in full-time work. When part-time, temporary, and gig economy jobs are included, the disparity grows.

International Equal Pay Day is not only about fairness—it is about economic justice. Lower earnings reduce women’s lifetime income, savings, and pensions, increasing the risk of poverty, particularly in retirement. The wage gap also holds back economic growth, as closing it would mean stronger financial security for families and greater participation in the economy.

UFCW Canada and allies continue to push for solutions such as pay transparency laws, stronger pay equity legislation, better access to childcare, and collective bargaining rights. These measures are proven tools to reduce wage inequality.

This day is also a reminder that achieving equal pay requires addressing systemic barriers, including discrimination, occupational segregation, and undervaluation of work traditionally performed by women—such as caregiving and community services.

Learn more about the gender wage gap here.