Epress.am News from Armenia
In Armenia, women earn 35.9% less than what men are paid, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Armenia Assistant Representative Garik Hayrapetyan said at a press conference Monday, when presenting the results of UNFPA's “Diagnostic Study on Discrimination Against Women in Armenia 2015-2016.” Meanwhile, according to the study, in European Union member countries, there is a gender wage gap of 15.9 percent.
Restrictions on women's work, which, as stated by the official, are also prevalent in Armenia, cause Armenia's GDP a yearly damage of $50-60 million.
“Women are involved in areas – mainly non-competitive fields – where wages are lower than [national] average. They work mostly in the fields of agriculture, education, health, and culture. In the financial sector, where wages are relatively high, jobs are mostly held by men,” independent expert Nvard Manasyan said.
Although, she added, 60% of government employees are women, they occupy only lower-level positions, and 90% of senior positions are held by men. “Therefore, women are not well represented at decision-making levels.”