ILO - International Labour Organization

09/18/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/16/2026 20:16

Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value — For Everyone, Everywhere

International Equal Pay Day 2026

Equal Pay for Work of Equal Value - For Everyone, Everywhere

On International Equal Pay Day, the ILO reaffirms a fundamental principle: work of equal value deserves equal pay.

18 September 2026

Content also available in: español français

On International Equal Pay Day, the ILO reiterates a simple but fundamental principle: work of equal value deserves equal pay.

Yet women around the world earn 18 per cent less than men.

This is not just a statistic. It is millions of women whose work supports families, businesses, communities and economies, but who are still not being paid fairly.

This must change.

Together, governments, employers and workers can remove the structural barriers that underpin this injustice and strengthen the laws and institutions that promote equal pay. And through social dialogue, including collective bargaining, they can address the undervaluation of work done by women, strengthen pay transparency, build fairer wage structures, and ensure that women have an equal voice in shaping their economic life.

The world of work is changing profoundly. But our principles remain steadfast.

The new Resolution concerning the ILO transformative agenda for gender equality in the world of work only confirms our determination to close the gender pay gap.

Equal pay is a matter of rights, principle, dignity and social justice - for every worker, everywhere.

ILO - International Labour Organization published this content on September 18, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on September 17, 2026 at 02:16 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]