Women are twice as likely as men to be unavailable for paid work

A recent report by the Netherlands' Emancipation Monitor 2024 reveals that twice as many women as men are not actively seeking or available for work. In 2023, 17 percent of women between 15 and 65 who were not in school were neither employed nor available for work, compared to 8 percent of men. Researchers found that balancing work hours with personal life is crucial for many women who consider working.

The Emancipation Monitor, published by Statistics Netherlands (CBS), examines gender differences in employment, health, income, and other areas. Since its inception in 2000, the study has tracked progress in gender equality within the Netherlands and compared it to other European Union countries. This year's report introduces data on individuals without paid employment, showing that 1 in 6 women not in school were not seeking or available for work, totaling 728,000 women, while 367,000 men fell into the same category.

The report shows that women in two-parent households were less likely to be unemployed, although the gender gap was more significant. Women with partners were nearly four times as likely as men to be unavailable for work due to family care responsibilities. For single mothers and women with partners but no children, the rates remained high.

The study finds that both men and women aged 55 to 65, as well as individuals with a primary school or vocational diploma, tend to work less frequently. Foreign-born women and men also showed relatively high rates of non-employment.

While health issues and disability were the top reasons men cited for not working, affecting 75 percent of men and 55 percent of women, family care duties were reported by 52 percent of partnered mothers as their primary reason for unemployment. Only 8 percent of fathers with partners cited family care as a reason. Meanwhile, women without children named retirement, illness, or family obligations as their reasons.

The report also shows that one-third of non-working women would consider employment under specific conditions, such as flexible schedules and work locations close to home. Nearly 17 percent expressed a need for specific working hours, while 15 percent emphasized the importance of aligning schedules with family life.

In 2023, 80 percent of women between 15 and 65 held paid jobs, with 65 percent working part-time. Personal time and household responsibilities were the leading reasons for reduced hours. For men, only 18 percent worked part-time, primarily for similar personal or family reasons.