Women earn about 14 percent less than men in the EU, which means that for almost two months a year they work for free, and in Croatia the pay gap is nearly 7,000 kuna, which is also reflected in pensions, the Social Democratic Party's Women's Forum said on Tuesday on the occasion of European Equal Pay Day.

The average net pay in the second quarter of this year in Croatia was 7,919 kuna for men and 7,337 kuna for women, while on the annual level women are paid 6,984 kuna less than men, the Forum said, adding that in November and December women symbolically work for free.

The pay gap is evident in all activities and it is also due to the fact that women often take career breaks to care for children and older family members.

Women are discriminated against in every aspect of work, including fixed-term employment, lower pay for equal work, harassment in the workplace, and difficult promotions, the SDP Women’s Forum said.

The Forum advocates tax breaks for employers who put women in management positions, expanding the list of professions with accelerated retirement plans to mainly women’s jobs and paid leave for the entire duration a woman provides care, among other things.