Increasing the low employment rate of women is a key prerequisite for improving living standards, both at the individual and national levels. In many European countries, and beyond, there is considerable potential for boosting overall employment by mobilizing economically inactive women. In Greece, the employment rate of women has significantly increased over the past four decades, rising from 35.8% in 1981 to 57.8% in the first quarter of 2024 for those aged 20-64 years. Institutional reforms (e.g., in family law) and the favourable economic conditions resulting from Greece’s accession to the European Union in the late 1980s have greatly enhanced women’s participation in the labour market. Nevertheless, the employment rate of women in Greece remains below the European Union (EU) average of 70.3% as of the first quarter of 2024. Moreover, while the gender employment rate gap has narrowed compared to the past, it still stands at a high 20 percentage points, in contrast to 10 in the EU.
The proposed research draws on the Norwegian experience, characterised by a high employment rate for women and an almost non-existent “child penalty,” alongside international literature. Its aim is to identify policies that alleviate barriers to women’s employment in Greece. The significance of this issue cannot be overstated: women’s underemployment in Greece hinders the growth prospects of the Greek economy, delays their empowerment, and frustrates their pursuit of personal growth and well-being.
Project Partner: Fafo Institute for Labor and Social Research (Fafo)
