"Equal work deserves equal pay. When there is pay discrimination, women have the right to fight to get what they deserve.” These words are of the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen. The right to equal pay for men and women for work of equal value has been a fundamental principle of the EU since 1957. The requirement for guaranteed equal pay is also enshrined in the EU Directive on equal opportunities and equal treatment of men and women in employment and occupation. However, the effective implementation of this principle in practice remains a major challenge.

A report of non-legislative value recently adopted by MEPs emphasizes that equal pay and equal treatment for both sexes are an essential prerequisite for equality, economic independence and women's career development. MEPs said each member state must propose concrete measures to reduce gender inequality. In none of the countries should there be discrimination against women in terms of their access to employment, and significant differences in payment have a negative impact on the living conditions to which women have access, says Sandra Pereira, a Portuguese MEP from the Left Group in the EP, in her report:

"Women must be guaranteed the best possible working conditions, so that they can exercise their right to maternity leave, but they must also be guaranteed the opportunity for a work-life balance. The EU has prevailed with its neoliberal policies, which, however, have led to high unemployment and declining wages. We cannot talk about achieving a work-life balance if women's labour rights are not respected and if their salaries do not suffice to cover their monthly expenses. We can't talk also about career development if they don't have access to care for their children in full-time kindergartens and if they have to take care of their elderly parents or other relatives."

As in all other EU member states, Covid-19 has exacerbated the existing inequality for the inclusion of women in the labour market also in Bulgaria. The reason for this fact is that in the most affected economic sectors, the presence of women is dominant. Among them are tourism, restaurants, hotels, health services, and they are characterized by traditionally low payment. Among all the shortcomings, it was the women who took on a disproportionate share of the responsibility as caregivers because of the lockdown and closing of schools and social services. “Data of Eurostat show that the gender pay gap in Bulgaria is currently 14.1% and compared to the previous year, it is now growing slightly,” says Violeta Ivanova, an expert at the Institute for Social and Trade Union Research at Confederation of Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB):

"This means that our national legislation should speed up the transposition of the EU Directive on the work-life balance of parents who take care of their children themselves. Expectations are that the gap in access to jobs and pay, especially as a consequence of Covid-19, will grow wider. These factors lead to a higher risk of financial instability and, in the long run, to lower pensions. In Bulgaria, the difference between men's and women's pensions is about 24%. Failure to find an effective solution to these problems will lead to the feminization of poverty and losses for the economy as a whole”, says Violeta Ivanova.

English version Rositsa Petkova