Greece is below the European average and way off the target set by the European Union for 2020 regarding the employment of women, the European Institute of Gender Equality (EIGE) said yesterday at a press conference held at the European Commission offices in Athens. The data presented by the EIGE for 2012 indicated that among the EU28, the percentage of full-time women employees between 20 and 64 years of age is 54%, way beneath the 75%-target set for women in 2020. In Greece, the percentage of women of that age group that is currently employed full time is 43 percent as opposed to 64% for men.

According to the data, women dominate the part-time job market, with 76 % of them between 15 and 64 years of age being employed – the corresponding data for men is 24%. The basic reason that most (55%) of the women in the 25 to 49 age range cannot find a full-time job is lack of family care support (the same reason for men ranks at 12%). A total of 37% of women between 50 and 64 are unable to find work (men, 19%), the survey stressed.

According to the composite equality index concerning 6 sectors, Greece scores 40% while the EU average percentage was 54%.

“All countries can improve their economies if they give equal opportunities to both men and women in the job market,” said EIGE Senior Comminications Officer Jesper Schou Hansen and stressed that day-care infrastructure is necessary so that “women can participate in the job market.”

“There is margin for more efforts to bridge the gap and achieve greater gender equality,” Head of the Press and Media Service at the European Commission Representation in Greece Carlos Martin Ruiz se Gordejuela said, and stressed the need for immediate actions by the European Commission.

EIGE underlined that women financial independence is a great opportunity for economic development, while it stressed the dangers behind self-employment, which sometimes allow (employers) to get away without formal employment contracts.