The gender pay gap in Montenegro. A statistical update and policy implications
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The report "The Gender Pay Gap in Montenegro: A statistical update and policy implications" examines the underlying factors behind the pay gap and provides policy recommendations to reduce it. Looking at different wage distributions and worker categories, it finds that women at the high end of the wage distribution have the widest pay gap as do those who are prime-age workers, highly educated, foreign or employees with fixed term contracts. Given that women in the workforce tend to have a higher educational attainment than men in Montenegro, the report concludes that the GPG cannot be explained by differences in observable characteristics between men and women but has a significant structural component driven by discrimination in the labour market. This is manifested in a motherhood pay gap, horizontal discrimination whereby women are assigned to low-quality job tasks, and a wage penalty against feminized occupations.
The country's legal and policy framework are well aligned with ILO and EU standards on gender equality, non-discrimination and maternity leave. Several national action plans focus on proactive interventions to promote gender equality as well as female empowerment and women鈥檚 participation in the labour market. However, legislation on paternity and parental needs to be amended to comply with the EU Acquis, flexible working arrangements need to be introduced in the legal framework and the quality of childcare increased to address overcrowding.
The report concludes by suggesting three areas for policy measures to help reduce the GPG and other forms of gender inequalities in the labour market. These include actively promoting equal pay for work of equal value; supporting regular minimum wage updates and collective bargaining; and promoting female labour force participation, including care policies to improve work-life balance. It also calls for enhanced data collection to measure the GPG and its drivers.
The country's legal and policy framework are well aligned with ILO and EU standards on gender equality, non-discrimination and maternity leave. Several national action plans focus on proactive interventions to promote gender equality as well as female empowerment and women鈥檚 participation in the labour market. However, legislation on paternity and parental needs to be amended to comply with the EU Acquis, flexible working arrangements need to be introduced in the legal framework and the quality of childcare increased to address overcrowding.
The report concludes by suggesting three areas for policy measures to help reduce the GPG and other forms of gender inequalities in the labour market. These include actively promoting equal pay for work of equal value; supporting regular minimum wage updates and collective bargaining; and promoting female labour force participation, including care policies to improve work-life balance. It also calls for enhanced data collection to measure the GPG and its drivers.