Overview

• Germany's gender pay gap remains significant, with women earning 16% less than men on average, and 6% less even when factors like position and career choices are accounted for.
• Equal Pay Day continues to draw attention to wage disparities, but critics argue it has become a symbolic gesture with little resulting progress or policy change.
• Germany's 2017 Pay Transparency Act has been deemed ineffective, with calls for stronger measures, including mandatory wage gap reporting for companies with over 100 employees by 2026 under new EU directives.
• Women in Germany face systemic disadvantages in the workforce, including overrepresentation in part-time roles, lower average wages, and underrepresentation in leadership positions.
• Advocates demand a 'Zeitenwende' (turning point) for gender equality, urging political leaders to prioritize equal pay as a fundamental right rather than a deferred promise.