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US Women at the UN
The USA Caucus of Zonta International, representing over 8000 members in the United States of America, has issued the following statement in conjunction with Equal Pay Day, March 26, 2026. Zonta is a non-partisan organization with the mission to make the world a better place for women and girls.
All Women’s Equal Pay Day, held this year on March 26th, symbolizes how far into the year women must work to earn what men earned in the previous year. The wage gap is even greater for women of color. The wage gap has widened since 2024 when Equal Pay Day was March 12th.
According to the latest U.S. Census figures, women who work full time are paid on average just 81% of the typical man’s pay. Women still face barriers in accessing good-paying jobs and carry a disproportionate burden for caregiving responsibilities in our society. Additionally, the lack of affordable childcare and paid family and medical leave contribute to women being unable to join the workforce or stay in the workforce. Pay equity and family friendly policies make good business sense and will help employers attract and retain the best talent. The COVID-19 pandemic has deepened existing inequalities and has made the problem of unequal pay more urgent.
The pay gap over time results in women saving less for retirement than men, earning lower pensions and social security payments, having a larger burden of student debt, and results in women having less economic security than male counterparts.
We encourage women to advocate for themselves; state and federal governments to enact legislation that ensures equal pay for women; and businesses to review their compensation policies to ensure that historical policies and pay practices are not unfairly disadvantaging women. We also advocate for the recognition of the Equal Rights Amendment, which would provide constitutional support for the fight for Equal Pay.
WEAR RED On March 26th:
We join the National Committee on Pay Equity in calling for our members, and all women and men, to wear red on March 26 to symbolize how far women are “in the red” on Equal Pay Day.
- All Women’s Equal Pay Day – March 26
- Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Women’s Equal Pay Day – April 9
- LGBTQIA+ Equal Pay Awareness Day – June 17
- Black Women’s Equal Pay Day – July 21
- Moms’ Equal Pay Day – August 6
- Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) Women’s Equal Pay Day – September 15
- Latina Equal Pay Day – October 8
- Disabled Women’s Equal Pay Day – October 20
- Native Women’s Equal Pay Day – November 19
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