Hello everyone and happy Friday!
Today, 18 September marks International Equal Pay Day – a day dedicated to the principle of 'equal pay for work of equal value'.
However, as reporter Léa Huppe writes, women globally earn around 20% less than men, according to United Nations figures. Progress in closing the gap remains slow.
Maya Doneva, a Bulgarian woman of 41, spoke to Léa about her experience with the issue. She moved to Brussels with her husband and three children for what she believed would be an important professional opportunity.
Three months into the job, she discovered that she was being paid less than her male predecessor had been for exactly the same position. "I realised there was a difference. My salary was almost 30% lower than his," she said.
Doneva had to push and push to get a salary increase, but she never received the raise she was entitled to. In the end, she was even fired. Read her story here.
Additionally, we have a very interesting story about Belgian students. While other international students are turning away from pursuing higher education in the United States, young people from Belgium have been an exception.
Reporter Chase Pray writes that there has been a 5% decrease in the number of international students studying in the US this year, compared to the year before. For Belgian students, however, a 3.1% increase was reported.
Chase spoke to two of them – one who just arrived in the US to start his studies at Harvard, and one who recently returned from her business studies in South Carolina – about their experience. Read about their experiences here.
And before I forget: this Sunday will be the most fun day of the year in Brussels: car-free Sunday.
As the Capital Region transforms into the largest car-free zone in Europe, pedestrians and cyclists will have the opportunity to take over streets usually congested by traffic.
From 09:30 to 19:00, motorised traffic (except for emergency and authorised vehicles) will be banned across all 19 Brussels municipalities. Instead, there will be plenty to do. Reporter Anas El Baye tells you everything you need to know.
And if you are still looking for other activities to do this weekend, don't forget to check out our guide on what to do in the capital this weekend.
For comments, tips or suggestions to improve our coverage, drop me an email at m.chini@brusselstimes.com.
Don't forget your helmet!
Belgium in Brief is a free daily roundup of the top stories to get you through your coffee break conversations. To receive it straight to your inbox every day, sign up below:
1. ‘My salary was almost 30% lower’: One woman’s fight for equal pay
For Maya Doneva, 41, the gender pay gap is not an abstract statistic. After moving to Brussels from Bulgaria with her family for a senior position at a European organisation, the gap became a concrete reality. Read more.
2. International students are turning away from US universities; Belgians keep going
Two Belgian students share why they chose to study in the US, what surprised them most and what life was like far from home. Read more.
3. Combatting excessive rents: Constitutional Court upholds framework to protect Brussels tenants
"The Court’s ruling does not mean that the work is done. On the contrary. It is now our task to make this policy as efficient as possible." Read more.
4. Brussels goes car-free on Sunday: Everything you need to know
Brussels will go car-free on Sunday, with free public transport, activities across the capital and special events marking 50 years of the Brussels Metro. Here's everything you need to know. Read more.
5. New faces for Red Devils as coach Van Bommel announces Nations League squad
Newly appointed Red Devils manager Mark van Bommel has announced his first squad for the upcoming Nations League games of the Belgian national football team. Read more.
6. Eurostar unveils double-decker fleet with two-storey cocktail bars
Eurostar has unveiled plans for two-storey cocktail bars aboard its future trains, as new competitors prepare to challenge the operator on routes between London and European cities. Read more.
7. What to do in Brussels this weekend: 18 – 20 September
From a free comic festival to the Heritage Days and some water lanterns, here are The Brussels Times recommendations for this weekend. Read more.
