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Inclusive ASEAN: Women, youth and people with disabilities
The gender wage gap and discrimination are serious problems in many ASEAN countries, where women often earn less than men for doing the same job.
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Monopoly is turning the gender pay gap upside down with a new version of the board game where women earn more than men. (Shutterstock/txking)
H
ave you ever been treated unequally? Have you ever experienced unfair treatment? Have you ever felt you are left behind? Yet, you have no one to care, not even talk to.
Workplace discrimination can be considered as a legal offense. It can take many forms such as unfair treatment of an employee or job applicant based on their gender, race, sexual orientation, age, disability (I personally prefer to refer it as special needs), religion and social background. Discrimination can occur in any aspect of employment from hiring, promotion and pay to facility and working conditions. Workplace discrimination is a concerning issue that affects many people globally, including those in ASEAN.
Among the most prevalent forms of workplace discrimination are the gender and/or (nationality) race wage gaps and different treatment/facilities.
Discrimination in the workplace will negatively affect employment. It can lead to lower satisfaction and productivity, and higher absence and turnover rates. It may also have a significant impact on mental health. Eventually, workplace discrimination can also have serious consequences for companies or any institutions including international organizations, academic institutions and NGOs, which hereafter I will refer as “companies et al”.
Discrimination can lead to a loss of talent that results in lower productivity and outputs (profits). Companies et al that fail to address discrimination may also face legal action that can result in costly settlements and damage to the company's reputation.
The gender wage gap and discrimination are serious problems in many ASEAN countries, where women often earn less than men for doing the same job. The gender wage gap in ASEAN ranges from 16 percent in the Philippines to 34 percent in Cambodia. This wage gap is often due to a combination of factors, including gender stereotypes, occupational segregation and unequal access to education and training.
Specifically, in Indonesia, the average monthly wage for women is 25 percent lower than that of men (BPS, 2021). It also finds that women are more likely to work in low-paying sectors such as agriculture and relatively lower-skilled service sectors, whereas men are more likely to work in higher-paying sectors such as finance and mining. In addition, only 25 percent of high-paid managerial and supervisory jobs are held by women, and even in these fields, women remain underpaid compared to men (ILO, 2020).
