The achievement of gender pay equality has become a
central topic on the policy agendas of many countries
under the directive of the European Union.
Nevertheless, pay differentials between work of equal
value continue to be observed without significantevidence of improvement. Labour economists have taken
a deep interest in the estimated gender pay gap and
the identification of its causes. This book adds to
this literature by providing new answers to explain
this phenomenon. We use a panel of European countries
and investigate the role of human capital, unobserved
heterogeneity and wage structure on the gender pay at
a specific moment in time and over time. It also
investigates the causes of the pay gap beyond gender
differences and takes a look at the penalty women
face for having children and the role of family
policies. Finally, it particularly analyses the
situation of those mothers who are the most
vulnerable on the labour market: single mothers. The
analysis should help shed some more light on gender
pay equality, and should be useful to academics and
researchers working on gender issues, but also to
policy makers and other stakeholders dealing with
gender mainstreaming.
central topic on the policy agendas of many countries
under the directive of the European Union.
Nevertheless, pay differentials between work of equal
value continue to be observed without significantevidence of improvement. Labour economists have taken
a deep interest in the estimated gender pay gap and
the identification of its causes. This book adds to
this literature by providing new answers to explain
this phenomenon. We use a panel of European countries
and investigate the role of human capital, unobserved
heterogeneity and wage structure on the gender pay at
a specific moment in time and over time. It also
investigates the causes of the pay gap beyond gender
differences and takes a look at the penalty women
face for having children and the role of family
policies. Finally, it particularly analyses the
situation of those mothers who are the most
vulnerable on the labour market: single mothers. The
analysis should help shed some more light on gender
pay equality, and should be useful to academics and
researchers working on gender issues, but also to
policy makers and other stakeholders dealing with
gender mainstreaming.