Increase in women at work

By Anna McLauchlin

Date: 23/02/06

The number of women in the EU labour markets rose in 2005 but entrenched imbalances remain and there is no sign of the pay gap narrowing, the European Commission's equality review will say on Friday (24 February).

The Commission will ask government leaders at the Spring summit on 23-24 March to reaffirm their commitment to gender equality as part of the drive to increase competitiveness. It will also publish a five-year roadmap to promote equality between men and women in Europe by the end of March.

55.7% of women were in work in 2005, up 0.7% from 2003 but still shy of the EU target of getting 57% of women into the workplace by 2005. Among older workers the rate of women's participation is particularly high, increasing in 2004 by 1% to 31.7%.

But because the growth has been in those job areas where women are already predominant, such as social work, education or nursing, it has widened the imbalances between men and women, the review says.

The labour market is still riddled with stereotypes, the review says, with women accounting for only 32% of managers in 2005 and earning 15% less than men for every hour they work and a greater number of women than men continue to be employed part-time.

This report is the first update on gender equality since the trade unions and the business community adopted an action plan focusing on promoting women in managerial roles, tackling the gender pay gap and supporting a work-life balance.

Article previews the adoption of the 'Report on equality between women and men 2006' by the European Commission on 24 February 2006. It was planned that the report would be submitted to the European leaders at the Spring European Council on 23-24 March 2006.

European Commission: DG Employment and Social Affairs: Report on equality between women and men, 2006 http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=1983&langId=en

European Commission: Press Release: IP/06/224: Women earn 15% less than men in the EU and are still finding work/ life balance difficult - Commission report, 24.2.06 http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/224&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

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