This paper explores the issues preventing women from receiving equitable employment outcomes and breaks down how we define dignified income to better understand the factors which support women’s financial outcomes.

We want to understand both the opportunities and the barriers to dignified income, to inform future work on how these opportunities can be maximised and barriers overcome.

We know that women often experience poorer pay and employment opportunities than men, and that access to income is essential for women’s quality of life, access to goods and services, financial security and safety. Having enough income is essential to ensure bills can be paid, food can be put on the table, and children can receive the resources they need to thrive. Without this, women are vulnerable to poverty and may become dependent on others to make ends meet.

In this paper, we define dignified income as enough to pay the bills with some leftover for emergency savings and treats, it’s stable and secure, and it’s safe from harm and harassment. Ideally, income is also adaptable enough to enable a fair work/life balance, and the work experience is appropriate and fulfilling.  These factors are all important to ensure a person’s income is dignified, but there are many compromises people make in relation to employment and income to make work suit their lifestyle and life stage. So, one way to look at dignified income is being able to meet basic needs and earn an income that aligns with a person’s more aspirational goals and values at the time. It’s about unlocking the privilege of choice.

Read our report on defining dignified income