70 years to achieve equality in the EU labour market: we review the new Gender Equality Index 2025

Annual Report Gender Equality Index, created by European Institute for Gender Equality, collects data from 6 areas such as work, earnings, knowledge, time, power, health and violence in the member countries of the European Union. Its aim is not only to show the differences and changes in the socio-economic situation of women and men, but also to support policy makers in tracking progress and addressing current problems related to gender inequality. The report is also an important tool for measuring inequalities, used in the development of new policies at EU and Member State level. Published almost annually since 2013, the report is one of the key analyses raising awareness of socio-economic differences between the sexes and supporting the fight against stereotypes. It is also worth emphasizing that the research methodology is systematically and comprehensively checked so that it responds to current social and economic challenges. 27 indicators, which are used to measure inequality in this study, shows not only clear economic differences. He also discovers how men are still perceived, as leaders and breadwinners, and what, even subtle, limitations and “patches” women face that can inhibit their development. Showing these stereotypes in the light of the figures further highlights inequalities and injustices that actually harm everyone.

50 years to achieve full gender equality in the EU

So many years are due to the calculations contained in the EIGE report. Today's result, when it comes to gender equality in the EU, is 63,4 out of 100 in 2025, when analyzing the growth rate - comparing the data of 2010 and 2015, when equality increased by 10.5 and 7.4 points, respectively - full equality is only possible for 50 years, assuming an average increase of 0.7 points per year. It is still a long time, but there are also more pessimistic predictions in the public debate, saying that for full equality between women and men we need more than 100 years. Where do these differences come from? They result from the way the gender gap is measured: from how indicators are created, through the areas covered by the research, to the number of countries from which the data are collected. According to World Economic Forum (2025 reports), at the current rate of progress, approximately 123 yearsto close the global gender gap.

Women in the EU labour market

In the discussion of the pursuit of equality between women and men, more and more often, as a key argument comes up economic thread. This approach, though mercantile, is understandable and compelling: the numbers, the measurability and the prospect of economic growth seem to work on the social and political imagination. However, we know that a higher GDP does not always mean real social well-being. From a market point of view, including as many people as possible - not only women, but also discriminated groups such as people with disabilities, neurodiverse people or the elderly - increases the labor resource and therefore the economic potential. This argument also appears in the EIGE report, in which we read:

“The European Pillar of Social Rights Action Plan has set a headline employment target for 2030, assuming that at least 78% of people aged 20-64 will have a job. While the employment rate for women in 2024 was 71%, the employment rate for men exceeded this target, reaching 81%.

And while the economic argument is important and certainly works for policymakers, it's worth asking yourself: should it be the economic interest that should be the first and foremost justification for the pursuit of gender equality? Shouldn't we talk first of all about discrimination - both wage and structural - violates human rightsand in the case of women, this applies half of the entire population?

Care work, segregation, poor working conditions: women's real problems

Today, the employment rate of women in the EU is higher than ever, yet many still face barriers to getting and keeping a job. They result from both gender role stereotypes and a lack of social incentive to take up specific professions. The biggest limitation remains caring responsibilities - often unpaid work performed by women. And it's not just about childcare: it's women who are more likely to take care of sick, dependent or elderly family members. Another important problem is occupational segregation. The gender gap in employment is not only related to getting a job itself, but also to taking up specific positions. In the case of women, their decidedly lower representation in managerial positions is still the most visible. Women still work mainly in sectors and occupations with lower wages and lower prestige, and yet the top positions in these industries are still more likely to include men. At the same time, fast-growing sectors such as ICT are struggling with a shortage of workers - although they offer good prospects, women still represent only 2 out of 10 professionals in the EU. Such segregation not only limits individuals' opportunities for professional development, but also inhibits social cohesion, innovation and economic growth. Gender equality in the workplace ranks third among all areas of the Gender Equality Index, with a score of 69.3 points. The highest score within the subfields of “work” was achieved in the area of participation of women and men in paid work - 82.1 points. This is the best result in the EU in years. However, areas such as gender segregation and quality of work fare much worse, where the result is barely 58.5 points. This means that although women are increasingly filling the gap in employment levels themselves, they continue to work in worse conditions than men.

Women on the Polish labour market: where are we compared to the EU?

In this year's edition of the Gender Equality Index Poland obtained 74.8 points in the general category “Work”. The EU average is 69.3 points, which means that in terms of overall gender equality in the labour market, we are above the EU result - although we are still far from the leaders.

In the subcategory “participation”, which measures the level of employment, occupational activity and working life expectancy, Poland scored 82.5 points, that is, slightly above EU average of 82.1 points. This means that when it comes to entering the labour market and maintaining employment, women in Poland are doing similarly to the EU average, and their situation has gradually improved since 2010. The results look much worse in the subcategory “Segregation”Where Poland got 69.1 points, but it is worth noting that The EU average is only 58.5 points.. Our result is therefore higher than that of the EU, although it still shows a clear division of the labour market into 'female' and 'male' professions and the limited opportunities for women to access managerial positions.

Equality at work in the EU only 70 years from now?

Across the Union, women's employment is steadily increasing, but the pace of change is very slow. Since 2015, progress in the subcategory “participation” is on average only 0.4 points per year. This means that Full gender equality in labour market participation can only be achieved in about 70 yearsas long as the pace of change remains as it is today. In countries such as Italy, Greece or Romania this process will be even longer, among other things, by strong cultural norms, the burden of caring responsibilities on women and the lack of adequate care services, such as affordable nurseries or flexible work models.

The highest scores in the EU were:

1. Sweden: 80.4 points (general category “Work”),
2. Finland: impressive 94.4 points in the subcategory “participation”,
3. Belgium: 71.6 points in the area of “segregation”, which means the lowest level of occupational segregation in the EU.

Leaders combine developed systems of care, flexible forms of work and a consistent policy of reducing gender stereotypes (regulations and legal norms) and it is these elements that enhance their performance.

summary

The latest Gender Equality Index report shows that full gender equality in the EU is still a long way off; it could take up to 70 years in the labour area. Women are still more likely to work in lower-paying jobs, have less access to managerial positions and take over the majority of care work, despite increasing professional activity. This is not only an economic problem, but above all a human rights issue. Sources:

1. https://eige.europa.eu/publications-resources/publications/gender-equality-index-2025-sharper-data-changing-world
2. https://www.weforum.org/publications/global-gender-gap-report-2025/