A new study commissioned by the European Parliament gives an overview of the professional status of rural women in the EU, as well as their employment situation and position in the labour market in rural areas in most relevant Member States.

Women in rural areas of the EU make up below 50% of the total rural population, they represent 45% of the economically active population, and about 40% of them work on family farms. Their importance in the rural economy is even greater but hard to quantify precisely, since their participation through the informal rural economy is not statistically recognised.

The study identifies best practices implemented in EU Member States and includes policy recommendations on the improvement of the employment situation and legal status of women living in rural areas of the EU.