'Centuries to sexual equality' - but some question whether it can ever be achieved

WOMEN can expect lower pay than men for decades to come, according to new research.

Despite the roles of men and women changing dramatically over the past 30 years, the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) says Scotland still has a long way to go to redress the gender imbalance.

The report also found men suffer from sex discrimination, and some still question whether full equality between the sexes is even possible.

The EOC has identified 21 indicators of the barriers still to be crossed before full equality can be achieved.

For example, it may take 20 years for women - who currently earn 14 per cent less than male colleagues - to earn the same.

That gap rises for women who work part-time. It could take 30 years for such women to earn the same wage as male colleagues.

It will take 120 years to achieve equality in council leadership, with just 14 per cent of local authorities led by women, and 45 years for senior judges to be equally male and female.

And with just 10 per cent of top company directors in the UK being female, it may take 65 years for boardrooms to achieve gender balance.

In other areas, the situation is getting worse for women: 54 per cent of pregnant staff experience discrimination and women do more of the housework and childcare duties than before.

And more women are reporting domestic abuse, while growing numbers feel unsafe when walking home late at night.

Evelyn Imrie, a cleaner who won her equal-pay claim against Edinburgh City Council in 2004 after claiming she was paid less than male counterparts, said she doubted whether full equality was possible.

"Perhaps it might be for the educated people with degrees, but not for those in menial jobs - they have been exploited for years," she said. "But they are getting more educated all the time and won't put up with it."

Men also suffer from sex discrimination, the report says. Work commitments mean many struggle with health problems as they are unable to visit their GP during working hours. And 70 per cent of fathers worry that they have too little time to spend with their children.

In response, the EOC has developed an interactive 'gender agenda' website for people to measure whether sex inequality affects their quality of life.

Rowena Arshad, EOC Scotland commissioner, said institutions needed to catch up with the changing times and argued channelling women into low-paid work contributed to child poverty and family breakdown.

She said: "Scotland is still a long way from being an equal nation. These startling indicators suggest that the reality of far too many men's and women's lives is out of step with their aspirations."

She added: "We're living in the midst of an unfinished social revolution. Failure to act will have consequences for the social and financial health of countless individuals - as well as the nation as a whole."

Earlier this month, a Law Society of Scotland survey revealed that 71 per cent of female lawyers, compared with 52 per cent of male colleagues, believed maternity leave affected career progression - spurring the society to consider targeting men with educational materials on the issue.

Neil Stevenson, its head of diversity, said taking a career break did not necessarily affect someone's ability to perform in a senior position.

He added: "If it was a four- or five-year break, then they might need training to ensure they were up to date with the law.

"But we are seeing increasing numbers of men taking a year out, for a variety of reasons, and returning to their jobs. That becoming more common might help attitudes towards women."

John Wilks, the EOC director, acknowledged that full equality would take a great deal of work.

He said: "Nothing is impossible, but it is going to take an awfully long time.

"The way we see our positions in society, with men as breadwinners and women as child-rearers, needs to change."