International Equal Pay Day2026 · Date · History · Messages · Quotes
A/RES/74/142
About International Equal Pay Day
International Equal Pay Day is observed on 18 September to promote the principle of equal pay for work of equal value and to keep pay equity visible in public policy, workplaces and economic participation.
The United Nations established the annual observance in 2019, with the first International Equal Pay Day marked on 18 September 2020.
Why International Equal Pay Day matters
Equal pay for work of equal value is broader than comparing two identical job titles. It asks whether work requiring comparable skill, responsibility, effort and working conditions is valued fairly without discrimination.
The observance is also a useful point for examining structural factors that contribute to pay gaps, including occupational segregation, unequal access to advancement and the distribution of unpaid care responsibilities.
History of International Equal Pay Day
On 11 July 2019, the UN Human Rights Council adopted resolution 41/14 on equal pay and recommended declaring an International Equal Pay Day.
The UN General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/74/142 on 18 December 2019, proclaiming 18 September as International Equal Pay Day and calling for annual observance beginning in 2020.
The first International Equal Pay Day was observed on 18 September 2020.
How the observance developed
This timeline uses documented milestones from reviewed sources. Missing stages are left out rather than guessed.
United Nations Human Rights Council
Human Rights Council resolution 41/14 of 11 July 2019 recommended that the General Assembly declare an International Equal Pay Day.
United Nations General Assembly
UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/74/142
First documented observance
UN Secretary-General and UN system material identify 18 September 2020 as the first International Equal Pay Day.
What the evidence establishes
Confirmed institutional roles and milestones are shown first. Details that could not be established from the reviewed sources are listed separately below.
4 fields not established in reviewed sources
How to Observe International Equal Pay Day
Review an organization’s pay bands, promotion criteria and job-evaluation process for consistency and transparency where you are authorized to do so.
Learn the difference between an overall gender pay gap and an individual equal-pay claim before interpreting workplace statistics.
Discuss how recruitment, promotion, caregiving responsibilities and occupational segregation can affect long-term earnings.
Use official labour, statistical or equality-body data when comparing pay patterns across occupations or countries.
For an individual dispute, check the law and complaint process that applies in the relevant jurisdiction rather than relying on a global observance page as legal advice.
International Equal Pay Day Facts
International Equal Pay Day is observed on 18 September.
UN Human Rights Council resolution 41/14 recommended declaration of an International Equal Pay Day in July 2019.
The UN General Assembly established the observance through A/RES/74/142 on 18 December 2019.
For International Equal Pay Day, the first International Equal Pay Day was observed on 18 September 2020.
The observance focuses on equal pay for work of equal value and broader progress toward pay equity.
International Equal Pay Day Messages
Wishing everyone observing International Equal Pay Day a day of reflection, constructive dialogue and purposeful follow-through.
On International Equal Pay Day, may awareness lead to informed discussion, practical action and respect for the communities at the heart of the observance.
May International Equal Pay Day encourage thoughtful participation, shared responsibility and action that continues after the observance ends.
International Equal Pay Day Quotes
“This discriminatory gap erodes women’s rights, undermines income security, and holds back inclusive, sustainable economic growth.”
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
Evidence & sources
Sources used across the guide are gathered here. Labels show how each source supports the page, and contextual references are kept separate from primary evidence.
un.org — authoritative source (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/HRC/RES/41/14 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Digital Library — A/RES/74/142 (opens in a new tab)
United Nations Secretary-General — First International Equal Pay Day (opens in a new tab)
Understand it, compare it, then explore further
Start with the most common factual questions, then compare closely related observances and explore useful connections.
Frequently asked questions
When is International Equal Pay Day?
18 September The documented recurrence rule is: 18 September.
Does International Equal Pay Day fall on the same date every year?
Yes. It uses a fixed annual date unless stronger evidence changes the pattern.
Is International Equal Pay Day an official public holiday?
The reviewed sources verify it within this scope: United Nations international observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when reliable evidence explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes International Equal Pay Day?
The reviewed sources identify United Nations General Assembly as the proclaiming or establishing body. The proposer or originator is recorded separately as United Nations Human Rights Council.
Is International Equal Pay Day international or country-specific?
The documented scope is international or global: United Nations international observance. That does not mean every country treats the date as a public holiday or observes it in the same way.
How is this page verified?
The factual information is checked against reviewed sources, including the date pattern, scope and institutional history. This page was checked on 2026-09-05.
When is International Equal Pay Day?
It is observed every year on 18 September.
Who established International Equal Pay Day?
The UN General Assembly proclaimed it through resolution A/RES/74/142 in December 2019, following a Human Rights Council recommendation earlier that year.
Does a pay gap statistic prove unlawful discrimination?
Not by itself. Aggregate pay gaps and individual legal equal-pay claims are different questions, and legal standards vary by jurisdiction.
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