Cyprus lagging behind in pay equity, women’s career progression

Cyprus has been ranked at a lowly 37th place in terms of the best EU Countries for women’s career progression, according to a study conducted by analysts at Claims.co.uk.

The study, which leveraged gender gap data sourced from the World Economic Forum (WEF), gave Cyprus an index score of 26.94, enough to see it beat just 9 of the 46 European countries under review.

These countries were meticulously scored out of 100, considering crucial factors such as female income, representation of women in parliament, and opportunities for career advancement.

At the forefront of this study, Iceland emerged as the leading country for female workers, securing the top spot with an impressive score of 86.49 out of 100.

Remarkably, Iceland’s 190,000 female population earns approximately €40,500 annually – a figure that is notably twice that of Greece.

Furthermore, the Althing, Iceland’s national parliament, boasts a composition of 47.6 per cent women. Moreover, Iceland has been a pioneer in female leadership, with Vigdís Finnbogadóttir holding the distinction of being the world’s first elected female president. This remarkable achievement places Iceland behind only Albania for wage equality and grants it the third-best ranking in Europe for the advancement of women to leadership roles.

Following closely behind Iceland, Finland secures the second-best European ranking with a score of 81.72 out of 100. Finland distinguishes itself with a parliamentary makeup of 45.50 per cent women, half of whom hold ministerial roles.

Over the past five decades, Finland has witnessed 16 years of female leadership, including President Tarja Halonen’s notable twelve-year tenure. Additionally, Finnish women enjoy an average annual income of about €36,500, surpass men in employment rates at 74.1 per cent, and hold 13 per cent of top managerial positions in companies.

Ranking third with a score of 68.97 out of 100, Norway offers a compelling case study with a salary that is 35.6 per cent higher than Finland’s, at €49,500 annually.

This is complemented by a score of 5.69 out of 7 for female advancement to leadership roles. The Storting, Norway’s parliament, features 45 per cent women, with 38.8 per cent of these women holding ministerial positions.

Reflecting on the past 50 years, Norway has celebrated 18 years of female leadership, including the tenures of Erna Solberg and Gro Harlem Brundtland.

Norway also stands out for providing affordable childcare and safeguarding employment rights, contributing to nearly three-quarters of Norwegian women being active in the labour market.

In fourth position, Sweden scores 65.16 out of 100, highlighting its commitment to gender equality. Swedish women, who number 5.2 million, enjoy an average salary of €42,300. The Swedish parliament, Riksdag, demonstrates significant female representation with 46 per cent of seats held by women, 42.8 per cent of whom occupy ministerial positions.

Sweden’s commitment to gender equality is further evidenced by its high percentage of female tertiary education graduates at 58.3 per cent, its strict anti-harassment measures, and the distinction of having the world’s highest percentage of self-identified feminists at 46 per cent.

Commenting on these findings, a spokesperson for Claims.co.uk said, “Scandinavian countries lead the charge in advancing women’s careers, highlighting a shift in workplace culture”.

They added that “the data shows that these countries are redefining the traditional role of women and reshaping ongoing conversations in the workplace.”

Albania ranks fifth with a score of 62.93 out of 100, leading European nations in wage equality despite a relatively lower average income of €10,100. The country’s parliament sees 35.7 per cent female representation, with 43.8 per cent of these women holding ministerial positions. Albania also demonstrates strong female participation in the labour force (43.1 per cent), a high presence of women in STEM graduates (46.7 per cent), and notable ownership in firms (16.9 per cent).

Rounding out the top ten countries for women in the workforce is Switzerland at 62.57, Lithuania at 60.06, Ireland at 58.17, Denmark at 55.49, and Belgium at 54.78. These rankings not only highlight the leading countries in advancing women’s careers but also underscore the significant strides made in redefining the traditional role of women in the workplace.

“While celebrating their progress, it prompts reflection on persistent global challenges faced by women, including inequality, harassment, and pay gaps,” the spokesperson said.

“Looking ahead, the next decade is optimistic, with the momentum from Scandinavia hopefully inspiring a global shift towards inclusive, diverse workplaces,” they added.

They concluded by saying that “the study underscores the need for collective efforts to ensure women worldwide benefit from equitable opportunities in the workplace”.

Women in Cyprus dominate workforce, struggle with gender pay gap

Meanwhile, a report released on Friday by the Cyprus Statistical Service (Cystat) showed that there is a significant gender gap within the Cypriot workforce, despite the majority being women.

Specifically, while women made up 51.2 per cent of the population in 2022, their representation in the workforce was even higher at 60.9 per cent.

Nevertheless, this increased participation does not translate into equal pay, as women’s gross hourly earnings were, on average, 10.2 per cent lower than men’s in the same year.

Moreover, the level of education and skill among women in the workforce is notably high, with 54.8 per cent of women aged 25-64 being tertiary graduates and 42.7 per cent of employed women working in highly skilled occupations.

However, this achievement contrasts sharply with their representation in leadership positions, as only 2.2 per cent of employed women hold managerial roles.

In addition to these disparities in employment and leadership, the data highlights social challenges faced by women. In 2022, 15.1 per cent of women were at risk of poverty, and alarmingly, they constituted 91.2 per cent of victims of sexual crimes.

Finally, the representation of women in political life remains low, with women holding only 14.3 per cent of seats in the House of Representatives.