Eurofound Talks: What is the future for gender equality in Europe?

Eurofound, in partnership with the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), has published a special episode of the Eurofound Talks podcast for International Women’s Day 2025. The episode looks at women’s progress in the labour market and society over the past five decades, as well as sticking points on the path to gender equality in Europe, particularly related to the gender employment and pay gaps.

The episode comes as Eurofound estimates the cost of the gender employment gap in the EU – in terms of foregone earnings and missed welfare contributions of individuals to society, as well as the public finance cost – to be over €390 billion in 2023, corresponding to 2.3% of the EU’s GDP. EIGE have also identified new and upcoming challenges related to gender equality on the labour market and in broader society through their work on Strategic Foresight.

In the episode, Eurofound Head of Unit for Information and Communication Mary McCaughey speaks with Maria Jepsen, Eurofound Deputy Director, and Carlien Scheele, Director of EIGE, about what has been achieved at national and European level since Eurofound first opened its doors five decades ago. They reflect on how two out of every three net new jobs created over the last two decades in the EU went to women, and women are now more likely to have third level education than men.

However, they also identify that inequalities endure in many areas. The gender employment gap sits at over 10 percentage points and little progress has been made in reducing it in recent years. It is a similar story for the gender pay gap, which is over 12% and has changed little in over a decade. Not to mention the gender segregation at the workplace, in sectors, occupations, and tasks and roles.

This stagnation and continued segregation have occurred despite specific commitments in the EU Gender Equality Strategy and European Pillar of Social Rights to challenge gender stereotypes, close gender gaps in the labour market, achieve equal participation across different sectors of the economy, and address the gender pay and pension gaps – among other commitments.

Listen to the episode for free on our dedicated page, or on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. Also make sure to subscribe to Eurofound Talks so you don’t miss an episode.

Feedback on the series and media requests can be sent to james.higgins@eurofound.europa.eu.

Further information:

• Eurofound: Gender equality
• EIGE: Strategic Foresight