In the third quarter of 2021, there were more women than men working in activities (according to NACE) for households (e.g. maids, valets, caretakers, etc.) or in own-use production (88%), human health and social work (78%), education (72%), other service activities (64%), accommodation and food service activities and financial and insurance activities (both 53%). However, women made up only 10% of workers in the construction sector and 13% in the mining and quarrying sector.
In terms of occupations (according to ISCO), in the third quarter of 2021, women were over-represented among clerical support workers (66%), service and sales workers (63%), professionals (54%) and people with elementary occupations (53%). By contrast, women only represented one-tenth of craft and related trades workers (11%) and of workers in armed force occupations (10%).
Source datasets: lfsq_egan2
Spotlight on developments in the last decade
Since the third quarter of 2011, the share of women increased the most in the activity sector of electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, rising from 22% to 28% (+ 6 percentage points). The sharpest increase occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a rise of 4 percentage points in the share of women in this sector between Q3 2019 and Q3 2021. The share of women managers also increased between Q3 2011 and Q3 2021 but to a lesser extent (from 33% to 35%), as did women among professionals (from 52% to 54%).
In contrast, compared with the third quarter of 2011, the two largest decreases in the share of women were recorded in the activity sector of agriculture, forestry and fishing (from 39% to 31%) and among skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers (from 37% to 29%). Elementary occupations also saw the share of women decreasing but less drastically (from 56% to 53%).
Source dataset: lfsq_egais
This article is part of a series of articles published in the run-up to the International Women’s Day. Also, a Eurostat gender statistics webinar will be held on Monday 7 March on the occasion of International Women's Day.
For more information:
- Eurostat gender statistics webinar being held on Monday 7 March
- Eurostat dedicated section on gender based indicators
- Eurostat database on gender equality
- Eurostat overview of statistics on employment and unemployment
- Eurostat database of statistics on employment and unemployment
- Eurostat Statistics Explained article employed people and job starters by economic activity and occupation
- The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) database
- The UN website dedicated to the International Women's Day
Methodological notes:
- These selected findings are extracted from the European Labour Force Survey (LFS). Please note that there is a break in the LFS data series between 2020 and 2021 due to the implementation of Regulation (EU) 2019/1700. Please see the attached Excel file for more information on the changes.
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