Data from the first quarter of the 2022 Annual Household Income and Expenditure Survey (AHIES) in Kenya highlights a significant gender wage gap. Among paid workers, women earned 34.2 percent less than men. The survey considered factors such as age, years of work experience, education level, occupation, industry, employment sector, and region of residence. The gender wage gap was found to be lowest (12.7%) among workers with tertiary education or higher. The private informal sector exhibited the highest gap (58.7%), followed by the private formal sector (29.9%), while the public sector had the lowest gap (10.5%).
Key Points:
- Among paid workers in Kenya, women earned 34.2 percent less than men, according to data from the 2022 AHIES.
- The gender wage gap was calculated after adjusting for factors like age, years of work experience, education level, occupation, industry, employment sector, and region of residence.
- The lowest gender wage gap (12.7%) was observed among workers with tertiary education or higher qualifications.
- Workers with basic education had the highest gender wage gap (60.1%), followed by those with no formal education (54.0%).
- In terms of employment sectors, the private informal sector had the highest gender wage gap (58.7%), followed by the private formal sector (29.9%), while the public sector had the lowest gap (10.5%).
- For individuals aged 36 to 60 years, women were paid 33.4 percent less than men, a gap almost 3.0 percentage points higher than for those aged 15 to 35 years.
Analysis: The data from the 2022 AHIES underscores a significant gender wage gap in Kenya, which is a matter of concern for achieving gender equality in the workplace. It is evident that factors such as education, sector of employment, and age play crucial roles in determining the extent of this wage disparity. The findings emphasize the need for targeted policies and initiatives aimed at narrowing this gap, with a focus on sectors where the disparity is most pronounced, such as the private informal sector. International Equal Pay Day on 18th September serves as a reminder of the ongoing efforts required to achieve fair compensation for work of equal value, regardless of gender.
