Determinants of the gender wage gap in Colombia, 1997-2003
No. 58 (2006-08-01)Author(s)
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Fernández María del Pilar*Asesora de la Gerencia General de la Federación Nacional de Cafeteros de Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia. Correo electrónico: pilarfer@gmail.com. Agradezco los comentarios y la colaboración brindada por el doctor Jairo Núñez y los doctores Alejandro Gaviria y Olga Lucía Acosta en el desarrollo de este trabajo.
Abstract
This work explores the determinants of the gender wage gap in Colombia for the period 1997-2003, using data from the Living Standards Survey (ECV). The estimations are done using quantile regression, in order to analyze the determinants at various points of the wage distribution and not only at the mean, as has been done by previous works. Based on regressions for income equations, a decomposition of the wage gap is performed. The results suggest that the gap is not explained by differences in the productive abilities of men and women, but by differences in their payment. Thus, the traditional methods employed to ameliorate the situation, such as placement laws would not be effective if they are not accompanied by comprehensive wage schemes based on achievements. Wage scales exist in Colombia’s public sector and they have proved to be an effective way of diminish the gender differences in pay.