Money Money Money

Let's start from the big picture (finances and economics), where I could draw on lots of statistics to show that, at least in Germany (and probably globally), women earn less money than than men. I think it's around 23% in the EU for jobs in general, and much of this is explained by women working in sectors that pay less. But pay for "same work" is also less for women.

There is an abundance of research on this (which I have not read, at least not beyond headlines), but here are some of my thoughts.

Fair enough that women get paid less, if they are in less "productive" sectors, although the relative difference between e.g. a kindergarten caretaker (very important job) and a private sector HR manager (also important) is far too large. I also recall reading that earnings in job markets that women enter (e.g. medicine) then fall, which doesn't seem right.

Women also earn less because they fail to climb the career ladder, due to a number of factors: Glass ceilings (bad), lack of skills at elbowing your way up (c'est la vie), lack of interest in sacrificing a work-life balance (good), and pregnancy/maternal leave/childcare.

In my current situation, and receiving birth notices of firsts, seconds, and now also thirds right and left, I will focus on this last of these factors (maternal leave and childcare) first.

Ps. Just as I was getting excited about the Bank's Presidential race (admittedly, I got into it far too late), Jim Kim was nominated, which is exciting news for us who work in international health.