Gender Pay Gap in Healthcare: WHO Report Reveals 24% Disparity

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According to a recent report by the World Health Organization, the gender gap in global healthcare is still a pressing issue. The report highlights that although women make up 67% of the social care workforce, they face an average pay gap of 24% compared to men.

The Fair Share for Health and Care report, released on March 12, 2024, notes that women in low- or middle-income countries could be $9 trillion better off if their pay and access to paid work were equal to that of men. 

Pay gaps limit women's investment in their family and community, where they are likely to reinvest. The report notes that globally, 90% of women's earnings are directed towards their families' well-being, compared to only 30-40% of men's.

Moreover, women are not adequately represented on decision-making tables. Women are overrepresented in lower-status roles, comprising the majority of nurses and midwives, but are underrepresented in leadership roles. Medical specialties remain dominated by men. The report stated that with available data, women make up 25% to 60% of doctors but between 30% and 100% of nursing staff across 35 countries.

The report also highlights that unpaid health work adds value to health contributions, and women perform 76% of unpaid care activities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, unpaid care in households increased as public healthcare services tightened. The report added that in India, women spent around 73% of their total daily working time on unpaid work, while men spent only 11%.

Women from low and middle-income countries and marginalized communities provide significant amounts of unpaid work in a caregiver role. Unpaid work doubled during the pandemic, relative to men, as caring for chronic diseases had to be shifted to homes. In the United Kingdom, nearly 4.5 million people took on unpaid work during COVID-19, 59% of whom were women, with almost 3 million working simultaneously.