Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC)

Led by ILO, UN Women and the OECD, the Equal Pay International Coalition (EPIC) is a multi-stakeholder coalition to contribute to the achievement of SDG target 8.5 focusing on equal pay between women and men for work of equal value.

“By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value”

EPIC was officially launched on September 2017 during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Vision

Gender equality in the world of work.

Mission

To achieve equal pay between women and men for work of equal value by 2030.

Challenge

The ILO-Gallup world survey Towards a Better Future for Women and Work: Voices of Women and Men shows that across the world, women want to be in paid jobs. It also shows that one of the main challenges for women at work is unequal pay. Across all regions, countries and sectors, women are paid less than men. Across G20 and OECD countries median monthly earnings for women are on average 17 per cent below those of men and, elsewhere, the situation is not any better.

While the ultimate goal of EPIC would be to achieve equal pay for work of equal value, and as such reduce the gender pay gap, it is recognized that different countries will be starting from a different base, but that all of them need to move progressively towards this goal.

Why a Coalition?

The process leading to the formulation of the SDGs has fostered an understanding that strategic multi-stakeholder coalitions are required for their successful implementation. Target 8.5 is bold and ambitious and requires an equally bold and ambitious partnership to meet it. EPIC is built on the recognition that no single actor can solve this challenge alone and that efforts can be accelerated through leveraging expertise across a diverse range of stakeholders. EPIC acknowledges the fundamental importance of country ownership, alignment with national priorities, harmonization, managing for results and mutual accountability among partners. It does not aim to replace existing partnerships but rather multiply their outreach and impact, providing a framework within which existing initiatives and organizations can connect and reinforce each other.