Compared to how the world looked decades ago, women have been empowered and given far better opportunities. In fact, more women are in leadership positions than ever which makes it seem like the current state of gender equality is satisfactory.
Nevertheless, complete gender equality is far from being realized. The World Economic Forum estimates that it may take a further 170 years to achieve 100% gender parity.
Improvements in gender equality have been noticeable globally. Not only in Western societies but also developing countries are showing narrowing wage gaps.
Countries in the European Union are often claimed to be some of the best in creating environments offering similar opportunities for women. However, not all European countries treat women the same way, especially when they are fresh graduates.
Our friends at Market Inspector set out to find out which countries are the easiest for newly graduated females to settle in. The study focused on the following key metrics:
● Gender pay disparity
● Gender employment gap
● Share of females in senior positions
● Ease of becoming female entrepreneurs
● Rate of unemployment among highly educated women
Using these criteria, out of the 30 European countries evaluated, the top 15 were identified as the ones providing the best environment for female graduates to put down their roots.
The interactive map below presents these countries: dark blue representing positions 1 to 3, light blue for positions 4 to 10, and red for 11—15.
Wondering why Sweden performs so much better?
The answer lies in the deep roots of equality in their society. Not only is fair treatment a cornerstone of their culture, but Sweden promotes egalitarianism by having appointed a dedicated cabinet minister responsible for gender-related policies.
Even if no one government can eliminate gender inequality, taking the necessary actions and following positive examples is a guaranteed way to bring progress.While it can be challenging to get hired as a woman in a foreign country right after graduation, this research hopes to shed some light on which European countries provide the highest chances of establishing a successful career as a female graduate.
Created by Market Inspector
Author
Paul Slezak
With over two decades of experience in the recruitment and human capital industry, Paul Slezak has established himself as a transformative force in the realm of leadership and career coaching, group facilitation, and talent acquisition. His unique perspective, drawn from his early career as a leader in global recruitment firms and his entrepreneurial success with his own start-up, has enabled him to make a significant impact on leaders, teams, and organizations across the world. Paul's passion for helping others achieve success and high performance is evident in his commitment to transforming leaders and their teams at local, national, and international levels. He specializes in promoting the importance of human-centered intelligence, focusing on soft skills such as authenticity, transparency, and trust to complement business-centered acumen and drive better workplace outcomes. As an impartial facilitator, Paul brings his expertise to team offsites and strategy days, ensuring alignment on goals, values, and culture while keeping participants on task. His engaging and energetic presence, coupled with his unique "entertraining" and "edutaining" delivery style, enables him to connect with audiences both large and intimate, sharing personal and professional anecdotes that inspire and energize.
