TG vows to close gender pay gap

Together Gibraltar is committed to tackling Gibraltar’s 19.4% gender pay gap, describing it as “one of the worst in Europe”.

Party candidate Tamsin Suarez told reporters: “The gender pay gap does not just affect women, it affects whole families.”

“When part of the household income is reduced, it reduces the families spending power.”

Although there is no one single cause for the gap, Ms Suarez attributes this to various factors such as discrimination, undervaluing roles predominantly done by women, dominance of men in best paid positions and unequal caring responsibilities.

If elected into government, Together Gibraltar pledges to make employers with more than 25 members of staff publish their gender pay gap data; increase the nursery allowance to £6,000; provide individual career guidance, training and encouraging flexible working hours; equalise and extend parental leave; review legal aid conditions.

“We will review the gender pay gap that penalises women in the workplace and have a clear and practical plan to close it,” Ms Suarez added.

“This will help to address the unequal impact of caring roles which is one of the key drivers of the gap and ensure that women have equal opportunity to be financially independent.”

Meanwhile, Together Party candidates Craig Sacarello and Jackie Anderson looked at issues of inequality not just between the genders, but in the business, democracy, housing and education.

“Our crucial difference is that we seem to be the only party has a totally holistic view of what is happening in Gibraltar and what is needed to make those changes that are going to be beneficial in the long and short-term,” Ms Anderson said.

Ms Anderson said: “Education underpins equality, it underpins freedoms.”

“Without education…we have a very unequal society.”

Together Gibraltar also pledges to ensure children from poorer families or children with special needs will be able to access higher education opportunities.

On housing, Ms Anderson pledges to “reset” and “rebalance” the housing market in Gibraltar.

Together Gibraltar promises to offer a “much wider range” of housing depending on affordability brackets not just in the public sector but the private sector as well.

“Equality is all about providing a level playing field and providing opportunities for everyone across the board,” Mr Sacarello said.

“This isn’t currently reflected in our own Parliament… if we can’t have the heart of our democracy reflect equality, then it is not setting a good example.”

Mr Sacarello said that business opportunities in the tender process also need to be balanced.

In addition, Together Gibraltar also pledges support for divorced men who may find themselves in a situation of homelessness after a separation.

Mr Sacarello added that equality also carries over to the abortion debate, and said any future referendum on the abortion law would be “polarising and divisive” for Gibraltar.