Only 19% of ICT specialists in EU are women

Author Moonshot.news

Published on: 13/10/2025

Only 35% of managerial roles in EU are held by women. In technology the gap is even wider: women make up just 19% of ICT specialists. Two-thirds of STEM graduates are men. Gender stereotypes remain one of the most persistent barriers to equality in Europe, according to a report by the European Institute for Gender Equality’s (EIGE).

“The Gender Equality Index confirms that stereotypes act as hidden barriers to progress. In times of crisis, these attitudes often intensify, slowing or even reversing gains.” 

“Perceptions also diverge: women are more likely to recognise inequality at work, while young men tend to say that treatment is equal. This gap suggests that biases take root early and continue to shape adulthood.”

EU employment data shows that lats year, 81% of men were employed compared with 71% of women. 

Women are also far more likely to work part-time (28% versus just 8% of men), often explained by caregiving responsibilities.

The report says that attitudes reinforce these dynamics: among young people, 15% of men and 7% of women still think men should have priority for jobs when work is scarce. 

“In some countries, agreement with this view has even grown, showing how traditional roles continue to influence perceptions of fairness and merit.”

Other findings:

• Many Europeans still see men as the main earners: 39% of women and 45% of men agree with this statement. 
• The gender pay gap stands at 12%, while the pension gap is more than double at 25%. 
• Within couples, women earn on average just 70% of their partner’s income. 
• Half of women aged 30–34 have completed tertiary education, compared with 39% of men. Women are also less likely to leave school early (8% compared with 11% of men).
• Three out of four graduates in education, health and welfare are women, while two-thirds of STEM graduates are men. At home, gender gaps remain striking. In 2024, 41% of women cared for children more than 35 hours a week, compared with 20% of men. When it comes to housework, 60% of women perform chores daily, compared with 34% of men.
• Women hold 34% of board seats but only 9% of chief executive roles in the largest companies.
• One in three women in the EU has experienced physical or sexual violence in adulthood and 31% have faced harassment at work.
• Almost 40% of young men say it is acceptable to monitor a partner’s digital activity. Harmful myths about consent also persist: 13% of young men believe that “no means yes,” compared with 7% of young women. These figures underline how stereotypes linking masculinity with control and dominance remain embedded, feeding cycles of abuse.

“Dismantling stereotypes requires more than awareness. It demands systemic change, policy innovation and cultural transformation”, the report stresses.