How to reduce the motherhood penalty and the gender pay gap ...

‘Well, it’s the usual suspects: Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden. The countries where childcare is properly subsidised, where ring-fenced, properly paid paternity leave means dads are far more likely to take time out to care for their children, and flexible working is the norm for all employees. In these countries, mothers report far higher levels

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“Going into the project, we knew that gender inequalities in the UK labour market widen drastically when the first child arrives in a home. While other issues clearly affect workplace gender disparities, motherhood is statistically important and marks the moment at which a significant gap emerges. This gap then persists for women throughout their c... See more

Firstly, such policies directly address the gender pay gap. Traditionally, women have taken longer career breaks for childcare, impacting their earning potential and career progression. By encouraging all parents to take substantial leave, we're promoting shared responsibility in childcare and reducing the disproportionate career impact on women.

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Many mothers look for part-time and flexible work so that they can manage all of this extra unpaid work, but only 10 per cent of jobs are advertised as part-time, with just 1 in 4 jobs specifying any type of flexible working,9 so many women are forced to work in jobs that are well below their skill level. On top of this, part-time work is paid at a

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