BPW International

BPW Estonia has run Equal Pay Day campaign since 2010. As the pay gap in Estonia is the highest in Europe (27,6 % by the statistics of 2008) we need to raise the public awareness and initiate public discussion how to narrow the gap. Under the title “Tilliga ja tillita” we have got very good media coverage and calls to national TV and radio programs. On Equal Pay Day restaurants and cafes all over the country serve salmon (means also “gap”) meals for 2 different prices with dill 30,3% (2010) and 30,9% (2011) pricier than without dill. We have also involved men as speakers and opinion leaders to support our campaign in 2012.
The campaign raises enthusiasm of women to stand for their equality in the society.

It has made BPW Estonia more visible and an opinion leader of this issue in our country.

The Equal Pay Day in Estonia has been held on April 19, 2012. Why on April 19?

Because this is the amount of extra days in the current year women need to work to get the same amount of annual income than men for the previous financial year.
Last year a research on the reasons of the high pay gap in Estonia was revealed. Relying on the research and the experience from our campaigns we have decided to focus this year on attitudes and gender stereotypes as one of the biggest barriers in closing the gap. For that we are planning a seminar for employers and employees. One of the lecturers will be Tiina Saar, a well-known consultant about career development and an attractive speaker. She is giving lectures, seminars in the universities in Estonia. She has also published several articles and three books about career and work life and participated as the work interview consultant in the broadcast called “Tööotsija” (Job Seeker). The seminar is planned on 21 April 2012.
Women are often discriminated in the job interview without even noticing it. Women tend to ask and be satisfied with lower pay compared to men with the same qualification and experience. How to arrange objective interview and how to have a job interview are the topics we want to shed light on.
On 5 March 2012 the Round Table event was held in the Information Center of European Parliament in Tallinn Estonia on the topic “The biggest gap in Europe – how much more? Is it the cause of men, women, history, culture or law?” The President of BPW Estonia Pille Ruul was asked to participate as a key person, the members of European Parliament from Estonia and many opinion leaders of Estonia were participating in the discussions.
ECC decided to grant 1000 EUR for the Equal Pay Day campaign to BPW Estonia from the EPD Fund. We are very grateful and it helps to organize the campaign on the larger scale.
We hope that with the EPD Campaign we can reach more key people, raise their awareness, influence attitudes and stereotypes as well as diminish the pay gap in Estonia.