The gender pay gap refers to the difference between the average income of women and men. Various factors play a role, such as different professions, working hours, and the distribution of leadership positions. Part of the difference can be explained by these factors, while another part remains even after accounting for them and is explained, among other things, by structural disadvantages. The gender pay gap is frequently used as an indicator of how equally women and men can participate in the labor market.
Similar to the gender pay gap, there are numerous other such inequalities that can be explained by structural disadvantages. These include the gender pension gap (on average lower pensions for women due to poorer employment opportunities), the gender care gap (unequal distribution of unpaid care work), the gender data gap (lack of scientific data and insights into the lived realities of women), etc.