A recent government report from the National Center for Development Research, affiliated with the General Secretariat of the Supreme Council for Planning and Development, has highlighted that Kuwait faces one of the highest gender salary gaps globally.
Official statistics indicate a 30% disparity in salaries between male and female workers in the government sector. The report, based on June 2022 data from the labor market system, reveals that the average monthly wage for Kuwaiti women in the government sector stands at approximately 1,327 dinars, compared to 1,895 dinars for their male counterparts, reports Al-Rai daily.
The World Economic Forum’s global gender gap report on Kuwait notes a significant widening of the wage gap during the periods 2006-2010 and 2012-2022, with marginal improvements in 2012, 2020, and 2021. Overall, the average percentage of equal wages for similar work between men and women is 67%, experiencing a 7% decline from 2006 to 2023.
The report emphasizes that the salary gap is not rooted in the fundamental salary structure based on job grades and qualifications but is evident in other benefits men receive, such as social allowances, promotions, and additional perks.
Examining annual incomes, the average annual income for females in Kuwait is $25,597, compared to $53,640 for males, resulting in a 52% difference in favor of males over the period 2006-2022. This income gap peaked in 2017 at $56,059 annually for males.
Kuwait’s global ranking in the overall Global Gender Gap Index has declined by 34 places since the index’s inception in 2006.
Notably, the nation’s weakest performance has been in economic participation and opportunities, where it dropped by 46 places. The summary of Kuwait’s performance in the index from 2006 to 2023 underscores the need for concerted efforts to address and rectify gender disparities in various areas.
– It fell by 46 places in the field of economic participation and opportunities
– A decline of 10 places in the field of academic achievement
– He advanced 18 ranks in the field of health and survival
– It fell by 23 places in the field of political empowerment
The analysis of Kuwait’s standing, encompassing various fields and sub-indices, indicates a notable decline in the economic participation and opportunities sector. Since the inception of the index in 2006, Kuwait has experienced a significant drop of 46 places in this domain.
Notably, its most favorable performance occurred in 2020, achieving a score of 0.589 out of 1,000, signifying an average gender gap in this particular area. In 2023, Kuwait’s ranking reflects a downturn across most sub-indices related to economic participation and opportunities.
However, there is a noteworthy improvement in the “percentage of equal wages between women and men for similar work” index, where Kuwait advanced by four places compared to the previous year.