Gender wage inequality: a reality still distant for many women in Portugal
- Patrícia Rosas
- Apr 17
- 4 min read
In the 21st century, the principle of equal pay for equal work is still far from being fully complied with. On average, in the European Union, women earn 13% less than men per hour of work, according to recent data released by the European Parliament in Portugal through the official Instagram @parl.europeuportugal.
In practice, this means that for every €100 that a man receives, a woman receives only €87. This inequality affects millions of women across Europe — and Portugal, although with slightly better indicators than the European average, also faces this challenge.
Portugal and gender wage inequality
According to Eurostat (2023 data), in Portugal, women receive, on average, 91.1% of men's wages. This represents a wage difference of about 8.9% - that is, a Portuguese woman receives, per hour, 9 cents less for each euro earned by a man.
Even if this value is below the EU average, Portugal remains far from full equality. The Portuguese reality reflects a common pattern: wage inequality is not just a matter of euros and cents - it is a reflection of structural inequalities in access to opportunities, leadership positions and professional appreciation.
📌 According to the Commission for Equality at Work and Employment (CITE), the wage gap in Portugal is even more pronounced in sectors such as:
Manufacturing industries;
Financial and insurance services;
Health and social support activities.
In these sectors, the differences exceed 20% in some cases, especially in the highest positions.
What explains this inequality?
The European Parliament identifies three central factors for the pay gap between women and men:
1. More career breaks among women
Women continue to be the main caregivers - both of children and of elderly family members. Therefore, many pause or slow down their career, affecting professional progression and salary increases. In Portugal, this reality is particularly visible: according to the INE, more than 90% of parental leave continues to be enjoyed by women.
2. Greater presence in less valued sectors
Women are concentrated in areas such as education, health and care - essential but traditionally poorly paid sectors. In education, for example, women represent more than 70% of the total number of teachers, but earn less than male colleagues in management or management positions.
3. Under-representation in top positions
In Portugal, women continue to occupy fewer leadership and leadership positions in companies. According to CITE, only 21% of management positions in the largest Portuguese companies are occupied by women.
What is the European Parliament doing?
The European Parliament has approved new measures to address this inequality, and is putting pressure on the Member States — including Portugal — to act more firmly:
Salary transparency rules
A new directive approved in 2023 will force companies with more than 100 workers to disclose salary data by gender. The rules include:
Prohibition of salary confidentiality clauses;
Workers' right to know the average salary of colleagues in similar functions;
Companies with unjustified differences greater than 5% will have to correct the situation.
These rules will have to be applied in all Member States by June 2026, including Portugal (Source: Parlamento Europeu).
🎯 Goal: more women in leadership
Parliament also wants to ensure greater female representation in management positions. The set goal is:
40% of women on non-executiory boards of directors or
33% of women in all management positions in large companies by 2026.
🇵🇹 Is Portugal prepared?
Portugal has made progress, but still faces great challenges. Despite the evolution in legislation and greater social awareness, the practical implementation of wage equality still depends on profound changes in organisational cultures, more effective public policies and greater accountability of companies.
The Portuguese government has already announced measures aligned with European guidelines, such as the equal pay regime (Law No.º 60/2018), but the impact is still limited. Many experts argue that more supervision, more transparency and effective penalties are needed for companies that persist in inequality.
💬 Why does this topic matter?
Gender wage inequality is not only an injustice with a direct impact on women's pockets - it perpetuates cycles of poverty, affects future reform, limits economic autonomy and reinforces social inequalities.
Correcting this disparity is essential to build a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable society. It is not about benefitting one gender over another, but about ensuring that talent, dedication and competence are rewarded fairly - regardless of gender.
📢 The role of all of us
As citizens, companies and institutions, we have the duty to demand and promote equal pay. Talking about this issue, demanding transparency and supporting public policies with real impact is a way to transform the future - for women, men and society as a whole.
To follow more campaigns and actions on gender equality, follow @parl.europeuportugal on Instagram and follow the official publications of the European Parliament.
🔗 Official source of the European Union: https://europa.eu/!NB8bq9
📊 Statistical data: Eurostat (2023), CITE - Commission for Equality in Work and Employment, INE (Portugal)
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