Fix Europe’s ‘women problem’ to ease the jobs crisis

Boosting women's employment in the EU could help businesses and governments alike ease the problems of a tight labour market. The European Commission estimates it costs the EU €370bn a year.

March 10, 2023 . 2:50 AM

1 min read

In the EU, only 68% of women aged between 20 and 64 are in work – 10 percentage points less than the proportion for men.
The European Commission estimates it costs the EU €370bn a year.
Germany would gain 9% of GDP if as many women were employed as men, while Italy’s economy could expand by as much as 14%.
18% of women of working age who are not looking for jobs say the reason is that they are looking after children. The proportion for men was only 2%.
Governments must address the unequal sharing of care responsibilities, unequal pay for work of equal value, gender-based violence and harassment and outdated social and cultural norms.