Gender Pay Gap Might Affect Future

Posted by AsiaViews | Oct 8, 2017 | 0 |

SINGAPORE

Straits Times

Oct 4, 2017

The scale of Singapore’s gender pay gap may surprise some as, on the surface, there appears to be little discrimination against women, many of whom are well educated, have good jobs and earn good salaries. But the gap between men’s and women’s pay stands at 18 per cent – little changed from 10 years ago, according to a consumer research firm’s analysis of official wage data from 2006 to 2016. A separate study released in March by the National University of Singapore Business School found that female company directors are paid on average a whopping 40 per cent less than their male peers.

Basing salary on gender implicitly denies equal opportunity for all to pursue roles befitting their abilities. Whether due to old-fashioned ideas of men as breadwinners-in-chief and women as primary caregivers, or biases about one gender making for better leaders, the result is unfairness that thwarts meritocracy. Education Minister Ong Ye Kung is right to point out that such stereotypes are “narrow-minded and damaging, not only to the economy, but to society at large”.

At a time when women’s economic participation has to be heightened because of demographic changes, it would be self-defeating to stick to outdated notions of performance and reward. A recent study noted that Singapore will struggle in coming years to offset the decline in the growth of the working-age population by higher labor participation rates. Indeed, the report said Singapore has the most to fear among Asia-Pacific nations which will also have to cope with the effects of ageing on a mass scale.

Holding down women’s pay will not help the nation make the most of its human resources. To help change the status quo, Singapore Committee for UN Women president Trina Liang-Lin urged both men and women to shake off the belief that discussing pay is “taboo and unladylike”. If women dare not speak of pay at job interviews and performance reviews, as most men do as a matter of course, then they risk sabotaging themselves in the fight for wage equality.

Traditionally, women carry the heavier load by keeping the home going, rearing children, and caring for the sick and elderly in the family. This has allowed men to function optimally in the workplace. Women could be similarly productive if social and work arrangements are adjusted so that family and household responsibilities are borne by both genders, flexi-work schedules are devised, and more affordable childcare options are made available. In Nordic countries, more equitable practices have prompted couples to have more babies. Society here must also evolve so that it becomes second nature to put able women as well in demanding positions – yes, including that of the prime minister – and to reward them no differently from men discharging similar duties.

(http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/st-editorial/gender-pay-gap-might-affect-future)

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EXTRICATING NDONESIAN CHILDREN FROM ISIS INFLUENCE ABROAD

Indonesia urgently needs to revisit the possibility of repatriating the neediest of its young citizens stranded abroad, whose families had earlier joined ISIS. Most of these children are in camps in northern Syria but there are also small numbers in the Philippines, Afghanistan and Iraq. “Extricating Indonesian Children from ISIS Influence Abroad”, the latest report from the Institute for Policy Analysis of Conflict (IPAC) argues that the government could begin by bringing back small groups of unaccompanied children under ten years of age, who pose minimal security risk and are most vulnerable to deteriorating conditions in the camps.“The problem is that health and security conditions are worsening by the day in the Syrian camps, and the children are growing older,” says Dyah Kartika, IPAC analyst. “They need access to schools, a nurturing environment, and medical attention. If the government waits too long, the children will be further exposed to ISIS ideology.” The new report examines a 2019 list of Indonesians in camps and prisons run by the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The Indonesian government has been trying to verify their citizenship, but with pseudonyms, misspellings and bad transliterations, it is a daunting task. At the time the data was collected, between March and June 2019, there were 555 Indonesians in SDF camps and prisons, including 367 children. Among the children, approximately 277 were under the age of ten and 34 were unaccompanied. In June 2021, there are fewer than ten children who are both unaccompanied and under the age of ten that could be prioritized for return. Bringing back children of ISIS families is no easy task. The report analyses the main challenges faced by the Indonesian government. These include definitional issues, bureaucratic competition, the difficulty of verifying nationality, evaluating the toll of exposure to conflict, assessing security risk, and finding relatives or others willing to provide care once the children are returned. In addition, COVID has meant stringent restrictions on travel, placing further obstacles in the way of repatriation. There are several models for rehabilitation of children exposed to violent extremism in Indonesia that could be modified to accommodate the needs of children repatriated from abroad. The report examines these models and argues that the government does not need to have every detail of rehabilitation programs in place before it starts extricating children from ISIS influence. It can start by bringing back the most vulnerable children and then modify programs as needed.

“It’s important that the government see these children as victims” says Dyah. “They deserve a chance to be children again.”

Gender Pay Gap Might Affect Future