Membership to the coalition means Ireland will have access to a number of resources aimed at reducing the gender pay gap.
Ireland has joined the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC), a multilateral partnership that works to bridge the gender pay gap at a regional, national and global level.
Ireland’s involvement was announced by the Minister of State for Small Business, Retail and Employment Alan Dillon,TD, ahead of the G20 Labour and Employment Ministerial Meeting, taking place in George, South Africa, (30 – 31 July).
Led by the International Labour Organisation, UN Women and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, EPIC is made up of 67 members. It works by bringing together governments, employer and worker organisations, academia, civil society and private sector entities to tackle the gender pay gap through coordinated and decisive action.
According to Dillon, Ireland’s membership to EPIC is a step forward in the region’s commitment to ensuring that all individuals, regardless of gender, receive equal pay for work that is of equal value.
“Aligned with the vision of the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Coalition works to accelerate progress toward this goal, recognising that sustained and collective efforts are needed to close the gender pay gap,” he said.
He explained, the partnership will enable Ireland to utilise a range of global resources, such as the opportunity to exchange best practices with international counterparts and chances to leverage the dynamic network of policy and equality experts.
“Joining EPIC is a joint initiative between the Department of Enterprise, Tourism and Employment and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality, which leads on gender equality and gender pay gap policy. This combined approach is designed to maximise the impact of Ireland’s membership of EPIC,” said Dillon.
Also commenting on the announcement, Maíra Lacerda, the head of the Special Advisory Office for International Affairs at the Ministry of Labor and Employment of Brazil and chair of EPIC, warmly welcomed Ireland to the coalition.
“Every new member brings valuable expertise and fresh momentum to our shared mission. Ireland’s longstanding commitment to pay equity and social dialogue strengthens our collective efforts to tackle persistent pay inequalities and promote fairer, more inclusive labour markets. Together, we grow stronger and closer to the goal of equal pay for work of equal value.”
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