Gender pay gap remains above EU average

Cyprus continues to lag behind most EU countries in gender equality, according to findings presented at a recent event co-organised by the Labour Ministry and the Cyprus Institute of Chartered Accountants.

The event, which focused on gender equality and employment trends, highlighted that women in Cyprus remain underrepresented in politics and leadership, with the gender pay gap still above the EU average—despite recent gains in employment and access to financial resources.

The findings demonstrated that the lowest levels of equality between men and women are seen in positions of power, covering political, economic and social decision-making.

In short, women remain underrepresented in leadership roles, while family and care responsibilities remain unevenly shared.

According to the report, only 14 per cent of MPs in Cyprus are women, compared to 33 per cent in the EU.

A similar underrepresentation is seen on the boards of the largest companies listed on the Cyprus Stock Exchange, where women hold just 9 per cent of board seats, far below the EU average of 34 per cent.

The Central Bank of Cyprus’ (CBC) board also reflects this disparity, with only 14 per cent of members being women, versus 29 per cent across the bloc.

Even within public administration, the picture remains mixed. While women’s representation is higher in the Council of Ministers, their numbers are still limited in local government, state-run broadcasting boards and sports organisations.

Cyprus currently ranks 20th out of the 27 EU member states on the 2024 Gender Equality Index, with a score of 60.9 points, well below the EU average of 71.

Nevertheless, this marks an improvement from 21st place last year, and a substantial rise from 38.5 points in 2005.

Commissioner for Gender Equality Josie Christodoulou described the progress as “an important step for our country,” but added, “it should not lead to complacency”.

She continued by saying that “the report is a useful tool for continuing the positive path in the areas where Cyprus is performing well, but especially for improving in the areas where the equality gap between women and men is greater.”

In the private sector, men still dominate leadership positions, both as employees and as self-employed professionals.

In the category of ‘directors and administrative officers’, men are 289.3 per cent more likely to be self-employed and 190.9 per cent more likely to be employees.

Meanwhile, only 187 women are recorded as self-employed managers in Cyprus.

While women make up the majority in certain specialised roles, they remain largely absent from decision-making positions, particularly in high-paying sectors such as ICT.

The pay gap between men and women stands at 12.2 per cent, slightly higher than the EU average of 12 per cent.

In practical terms, male accountants and administrative professionals earn an average monthly salary of €2,885, while their female counterparts earn €2,560.

Finally, in the ICT sector, men are paid €1,756 on average, compared to €1,485 for women, with the pay gap in some roles reaching as much as €1,018.