WHITE COLLAR | ISSUE 011
A MAGAZINE FOR THE CAREER-PERSON AND ENTREPRENEUR
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WHITE COLLAR | ISSUE 011
the gender wage gap in africa Is it really equal pay for equal work??
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A MAGAZINE FOR THE CAREER-PERSON AND ENTREPRENEUR
WHITE COLLAR | ISSUE 011
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ccording to a study done by Odipo Dev (A cutting edge data science firm based in Nairobi), the average working man in Kenya earns about Ksh 32,400 ( about $ 324 ) a month and at the same time the average working woman makes about Ksh 20,925 (about $ 209) a month for the same amount of work. The earnings ratio between men and women in Kenya is about 10:8. Similar trends are being realised through-out the world and we’ve been looking at the reasons why the gender wage gap is persisting despite the active campaigns to solve it. Citi group is the first company to openly publish their earning’s report which reveals that women there earn about 29 per cent less than men.
Gender Roles & their implications:
However wonderful this progressive law was it ended up triggering the beginning if thee gender-pay rift. As men
We have seen that freeing the potential of women is the fastest multiplier that we have
Historically, men have been the breadwinners in their respective households, which means that women had to be the homemakers and nurturers. The 19th Century saw the first mass employment of women, however the quality of work and level of pay were still rather low. World War Two is often falsely identified as the first time that women received mass employment, but by them about a quarter of American women worked outside the home. What changed after world war two was the quality of work and, the now steadily rising, pay. They got office jobs such as secretaries and were hired for a few industrial jobs which were seen as feminine for example sewing. However around 1947, women were allowed to go to university and this changed the playing field for them. The times still caught up to most of them as they had to leave work the moment they had children or even got
A MAGAZINE FOR THE CAREER-PERSON AND ENTREPRENEUR
married. As time went on provision were made to give more women time off as a kind of leave to briefly take care of their children however it wasn’t fully implemented in the law until the 1970’s when many European countries set in in the law. It was cited as a provision that is prohealth of both mother and child. During such leaves mothers would tend to their children and ensure that they were well taken care of. As time went on the duration of maternity leaves was extended from a month, to three and in some places to 6 months and now in United Kingdom women can access up to 52 weeks (1 year) of paid leave.
went on working and women were tending to the children men got more chances to learn and improve their skills and by the time the women were resuming work they were not at par anymore with their male colleagues. Resuming work meant playing catch up. Furthermore, as time goes on even after the women resume work a lot more is expected from the women at the home front. The women are expected to deal with their children’s sick days, or attend the school plays and all the while their male counterparts are focusing on work and building a better rapport with the company’s management team and when it’s time to look for staff to promote more often than not they choose the employee that they are more familiar with.
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WHITE COLLAR | ISSUE 011
A Girl From Nanyuki Who Grew Up To Run The World 12
A MAGAZINE FOR THE CAREER-PERSON AND ENTREPRENEUR
WHITE COLLAR | ISSUE 011
G
ina suggested that we go with the name ‘Safaricom’ and not ‘Vodafone’ to ensure we entered the market as a Kenyan company,” said Michael Joseph, the former CEO of Safaricom. I had been thinking about this line the past few days leading up to my meeting with Gina. “Don’t call me Gina, you’re far too young, it’s Auntie Gina to you,” she chuckled. Everything, from the parking to her offices, was exactly what you’d imagine from a woman whose career spanned over 20 years and across numerous borders. On the way to the elevators I brushed shoulders with politicians and dignitaries. Their every step was a testament to their power and position; you could instantly pick them out from a crowd. A clean glass door separated the Gina Din Group from the rest of the world and even from the corridor you could tell that the design was intentional. At first glance all you see is the company logo seemingly suspended in midair, followed by a well-lit wall of awards. Inside, the walls are decorated with works of art and quotes that affirm their position in the PR industry. One quote which was underlined, written in large bold letters and positioned at eye level, stood out: “Those who tell stories, rule the world.” Which is funny because Gina is a seasoned story-teller and just might be one of those women who run the world. Her office wall of fame is covered in photos of her with A-list Celebrities, the most passionate Dignitaries, forward thinking Billionaires and Presidents. Just as I arrived and settled into the visitor’s longue, Gina’s meeting with a diplomat had come to an end. She walked him out while she aired two or three points which dotted the i’s and crossed the t’s on the meeting they had just had. In the meantime Wanjiru, Gina’s executive assistant, gave me a tour of the office. The entire place buzzed with activity. It was busy… unsentimental... efficient. As the tour wrapped up we were back at the starting point where we found Gina waiting. She smiled, made direct eye-contact and extended her hand. “Hello… Welcome, have you had a refreshment yet?” She asked as we walked to her office, which had the word “BOSS” written on it in black bold large letters… subtle! We settled in while making smalltalk, the casual ‘we have this person in common… they’re so great’ and the mindful ‘hope your day’s going fine’ which slowly built up into in to this:
A MAGAZINE FOR THE CAREER-PERSON AND ENTREPRENEUR
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