The journey toward gender equality in Luxembourg has seen significant strides over the past half-century, but disparities still persist.
Firstly, some key figures: As of 1 January 2023, Luxembourg counted 332,444 male residents, slightly outnumbering their female counterparts at 328,365.
This discrepancy, as noted by the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC), is attributed to migration, with a higher influx of men to Luxembourg. An exception lies within the Ukrainian population, where women constitute the majority, comprising 67.6%.
Gender pay gap closed, but inequalities remain
In 2021, Luxembourg witnessed a historic moment as the gender pay gap, i.e., the difference between the average hourly wage for women and men, turned negative for the first time, registering at -0.2%. According to the latest STATEC data, this gap widened further in favour of women in 2022, reaching -0.7%.
Despite these advancements, men continue to outearn women over the course of a year, attributed in part to higher rates of part-time employment among women and the prevalence of high salaries and bonuses among certain men.
Including bonuses, men enjoy a 4.5% higher annual income; however, without these bonuses, the gap narrows significantly to a mere 0.1%.
According to STATEC, the fact that the hourly income of men in Luxembourg is slightly lower than that of women constitutes an exceptional situation in Europe. In fact, the EU average was significantly higher in 2021: across the EU, women earned 12.7% less per hour worked in 2021 than their male colleagues.
However, significant disparities persist across sectors. Particularly noteworthy are the financial sector (23%), real estate sector (23%), and retail sector (18%), where men command significantly higher hourly wages.
Disparities extend beyond earnings to employment patterns, with women significantly more likely to work part-time (36% compared to 8% of men). Although the gender gap in employment has narrowed over the past two decades, women still lag behind men, comprising 70% of the workforce compared to 78% of men in 2021.
In terms of education, while women outnumber men in bachelor's or equivalent degrees (18.4% compared to 13.9%), men lead in master's or higher degrees (27.9% compared to 23.4%). Additionally, women remain underrepresented in management positions, accounting for only 38% of all employees in such roles as of 2018, according to the latest STATEC data.
Women often "in charge" of family life
In 2022, the average age of first-time motherhood rose to 31.1 years, compared to 28.1 years in 2000. Meanwhile, the average number of children per woman continues to decline, dropping from 1.78 in 2000 to 1.38 in 2021. Similarly, women are getting married later in life, with the average age for marriage rising to 32.5 years in 2022, up from 27.6 years in 2000.
The Ministry for Gender Equality and Diversity reports that 86.6% of single-parent households in Luxembourg are led by women. According to data from the European Institute for Gender Equality, women in Luxembourg also bear a disproportionate share of daily caregiving responsibilities, with 30% engaged in child or elderly care, compared to 21% of men in 2023.
The situation is similar when it comes to the distribution of household chores. 62% of women in Luxembourg engage in daily housework, compared to 49% of men.
According to the Ministry for Gender Equality and Diversity, more men have been taking parental leave since 2019. However, there are notable differences in how this leave is used. Men tend to request one day of leave per week compared to women, who often opt for full-time or part-time leave arrangements.
Women get older, but men stay healthier for longer
According to demographic data from STATEC, the life expectancy of women in Luxembourg exceeds that of men by more than four years. On average, they live to be 84.8 years old, while men only live to be 80.5 years old on average. However, men experience a longer period of good health, living to an average of 64 years without significant restrictions, compared to 62 years for women.
Cardiovascular disease ranks as the leading cause of death among women, accounting for 25% of cases, while tumours are the primary cause for men, representing 28% of deaths. In addition, STATEC notes that mental illness-related deaths are more prevalent among women, constituting 8.5% of female deaths in 2021, compared to 5.3% for men.
