Women are far more likely than men to work part time. Lack of access to childcare is cited by many women as a key reason for not participating more in the paid labour force. Women shoulder a disproportionate burden of unpaid work. In 1992 in BC, employed married mothers spent an average of 5.4 hours per day on unpaid work, employed lone-parent mothers spent an average of 3.8 hours per day on unpaid work, as compared to men who spent three hours. This inequitable sharing of household responsibilities can adversely affect a woman's ability to obtain training, choice of job, promotions and ultimately her ability to earn a high income that would lead to an adequate pension.
Women continue to face particular challenges in achieving equality.
Economic equality is paramount, as these factors can influence a woman's ability to access training, employment, well paying jobs, and positions of influence, and may affect her safety, self-esteem and health. These factors can be greater for some women, particularly visible minority, aboriginal, immigrant, disabled, elderly, lesbian and women living in rural or remote areas. There is still a great deal of segregation between the sexes regarding employment sectors. A comprehensive study of the wage gap undertaken by Statistics Canada was only able to account for half of the wage gap by considering factors such as seniority, profession, and supervisory responsibility, leaving the other half of the wage gap unexplained. Employment history, including salary and years of pensionable service, impact a woman's ability to earn a substantial pension.