Statistics in Focus: Population and social conditions. The economic activity of women in the European Union.

Abstract

66% of men and 45% of women in the European Union as a whole were economically active in 1995. The activity rate of women is lower than that of men in every single Member State. Similarly, for each age-group the activity rate of women is lower than that of men. The difference is relatively small among men and women under 25-30 years, but women above this age are much less likely to be involved in economic activity, especially in Ireland, Luxembourg, Greece, Italy and Spain. These are the Member States where the differences between male and female activity rates are therefore most striking. For obvious reasons, the activity rate of women is connected with the number and age of their children. It is also linked, to a greater degree than is the case for men, to the level of education which they have received.