EP EUROBAROMETER Flash International Women’s day 2012

EP EUROBAROMETER FlashInternational Women’s day 2012

8 march 2012

Methodology

Methodology

o Survey conducted by telephone

o Fieldwork: from 19 to 21 January 2012

o Population: representative sample aged 15 and over

o Coverage: 27 EU Member States

o Number of interviewees: 25,539

Flash Eurobarometer

3

Structure

Structure

A. THE GENERAL SITUATION

B. INEQUALITIES

C. RECONCILING FAMILY LIFE AND

PROFESSIONAL LIFE

D. MEASURES TO COMBAT PAY GAPS

E. THE ISSUE OF GENDER DIVERSITY IN THE

WORKPLACE

F. CONCLUSION 5

A. THE GENERAL SITUATION

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A. Current situation - Half of Europeans believe that inequalities are a serious problem in their country

Total “Not serious” : 45%

Total “Serious”: 52%

Pre-2004 Member States: 55%Post-2004/2007 Member States: 44%

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A. Current situation An absolute majority believes that this is a serious problem in 10 Member States

Q1. In your opinion, to what extent are gender inequalities a very serious, a fairly serious, a not really serious or not at all a serious problem at the current time in (OUR COUNTRY)?

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A. Recent developmentsEuropeans believe that progress has been made in this area

Pre-2004 Member States: 61% Post-2004/2007 Member

States: 54%

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A. Recent developments In almost all Member States, a majority of respondents believe that gender inequalities have tended to decrease

Q2. And compared with 10 years ago, would you say that gender inequalities have tended to increase or decrease in (OUR COUNTRY)?

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A. General situation Differences in perceptions between men and women are real, but minor in terms of perceived changes in levels of inequalities

Tended to increase

Tended to decrease

Have not changed (SPONTANEOUS)

Don't know

EU27 24% 60% 12% 4%

Male 23% 62% 11% 4%

Female 26% 57% 12% 5%

15-24 18% 69% 5% 8%

25-39 20% 67% 9% 4%

40-54 24% 60% 13% 3%

55 + 30% 50% 15% 5%

15- 40% 43% 12% 5%

16-19 27% 58% 11% 4%

20+ 18% 65% 13% 4%

Still studying 16% 70% 6% 8%

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

Total 'Serious' Total 'Not serious' Don't know

EU27 52% 45% 3%

Male 46% 51% 3%

Female 58% 39% 3%

15-24 48% 50% 2%

25-39 52% 46% 2%

40-54 53% 45% 2%

55 + 54% 42% 4%

15- 58% 37% 5%

16-19 51% 46% 3%

20+ 53% 45% 2%

Still studying 50% 48% 2%

Self- employed 47% 51% 2%

Employés 52% 47% 1%

including managers 49% 50% 1%

Manual workers 46% 50% 4%

Not working 55% 41% 4%

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

Respondent occupation scale

Q1. In your opinion, to what extent are gender inequalities a very serious, a fairly serious, a not really serious or not at all a serious problem at the current time in (OUR COUNTRY)?

Q2. And compared with 10 years ago, would you say that gender inequalities have tended to increase or decrease in

(OUR COUNTRY)?

B. INEQUALITIES

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B. Gender inequalities Violence against women and pay gaps: most important inequalities according to Europeans

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B. Gender inequalitiesSignificant variations exist between countries: violence is the leading issue in 12 Member States

Violence against women

The pay gap between women and men

Trafficking in women, prostitution

The small proportion of women in positions

of responsibility in companies

EU27 48% 43% 36% 30%

ES 74% 42% 42% 22%

SE 64% 53% 47% 21%

RO 62% 23% 54% 20%

LT 60% 41% 40% 12%

IT 58% 23% 37% 32%

PT 57% 35% 42% 27%

EL 55% 23% 47% 20%

DK 51% 34% 60% 15%

MT 50% 31% 34% 31%

UK 50% 35% 47% 23%

FR 49% 54% 24% 37%

SI 48% 33% 26% 31%

BE 47% 50% 35% 32%

In your opinion, which of the gender inequalities in the following list are the most important? First? And then ? (3 ANSWERS MAXIMUM)

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B. Gender inequalitiesPay gaps are the leading issue in 12 other Member States

IE 44% 27% 48% 29%

AT 43% 61% 30% 32%

SK 43% 47% 29% 27%

CY 42% 34% 35% 21%

BG 41% 34% 39% 19%

FI 41% 57% 28% 25%

CZ 39% 55% 26% 31%

HU 39% 45% 32% 26%

LV 36% 43% 33% 20%

NL 35% 42% 48% 41%

LU 34% 44% 29% 36%

PL 33% 46% 35% 28%

EE 30% 55% 23% 24%

DE 27% 59% 20% 44%

Highest percentage by item Lowest percentage by itemHighest percentage per country Lowest percentage per country

Violence against women

The pay gap between women

and men

Trafficking in women,

prostitution

The small proportion of

women in positions of responsibility in

companies

EU27 48% 43% 36% 30%

Male 46% 39% 36% 29%

Female 50% 46% 35% 32%

15-24 51% 38% 44% 27%

25-39 51% 41% 39% 31%

40-54 48% 45% 35% 32%

55 + 45% 45% 30% 31%

15- 52% 39% 33% 25%

16-19 49% 43% 36% 29%

20+ 45% 45% 34% 34%


In your opinion, which of the gender inequalities in the following list are the most important? First? And then ?(3 ANSWERS MAXIMUM)

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

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B. Gender inequalities Clear differences by age and level of education

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B. Perception of the problem A very large majority of Europeans believe that pay gaps are a serious problem

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B. Perception of the problem In 25 Member States, pay gaps are perceived as a serious problem by a majority of respondents

Q4. Personally, based on your knowledge of the pay gap between women and men, to what extent would you say that this is a very serious, a fairly serious, a not really serious or not at all a serious problem?

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B. Perception of the problemThe problem is seen as more serious by women and by older and less educated respondents

Q4. Personally, based on your knowledge of the pay gap between women and men, to what extent would you say that this is a very serious, a fairly serious, a not really serious or not at all a serious problem?

C. Reconciling family life and professional life

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeThe pay gap issue is downplayed; the trade-off between work and child-minding is a more divisive issue

Q5. To what extent do you totally agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree with each of the following statements?

69% 28%

41% 55%

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeThe proportion of Europeans who disagree with the statement is significantly larger when the question pertains to the father

* Split A only** Split B only

The split ballot technique: the sample was split into two equal parts, in a totally arbitrary manner.One group, split A, answered the question pertaining to the mother. The other group, split B, answered the question pertaining to the father.

41% 55%

35% 60%


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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeThe belief that the pay gap issue is downplayed is held by a majority in all the Member States


The issue of the pay gap between women and men gets downplayed

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeThe belief that the parent with the lower salary should give up work is held by a majority in 9 Member States


In a family, it is the parent with the lower salary who should give up work to look after the children

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeWhen the statement pertains to the mother, most respondents reject it in 17 Member States



(SPLIT A ONLY) When child-minding costs are more or less equivalent to what the mother earns, she should stop working to take care of the children

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeWhen the statement pertains to the father, most respondents reject it in 25 Member States



(SPLIT B ONLY) When child-minding costs are more or less equivalent to what the father earns, she should stop working to take care of the children

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeIn 22 Member States, respondents would prefer the mother to give up work, rather than the father


When child-minding costs are more or less equivalent to what the mother*/the father** earns, she should stop working to take care of the children

-Answer ‘Total agree’

Total 'Agree' Total 'Disagree' Total 'Agree' Total 'Disagree'

EU27 41% 55% 35% 60%

Countries before 2004 38% 58% 35% 59%

Countries post 2004/2007 52% 44% 34% 62%

Male 43% 53% 38% 57%

Female 40% 56% 32% 63%

15-24 33% 66% 28% 69%

25-39 37% 60% 38% 59%

40-54 40% 55% 38% 57%

55 + 49% 45% 32% 60%

15- 53% 41% 34% 57%

16-19 48% 48% 35% 60%

20+ 36% 60% 35% 60%


Important 39% 57% 37% 58%

Not important 43% 53% 32% 63%

Problem of gender inequalities

Q5 To what extent do you totally agree, tend to agree, tend to disagree or totally disagree with each of the following statements?

(SPLIT A ONLY) When child-minding costs are more or less equivalent to what the

mother earns, she should stop working to take care of the children

(SPLIT B ONLY) When child-minding costs are more or less equivalent to what the father earns, he should stop working to

take care of the children

Gender

Age

Education (End of)

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C. Reconciling family life and professional lifeThere are significant differences depending on whether the question pertains to the mother or the father


D. MEASURES TO COMBAT PAY GAPS

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D.1 Level of decision makingMost respondents would prefer action to be taken at European Union level

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D.1 Level of decision makingIn 21 Member States, the European Union level is seen as the most appropriate to handle pay gaps

Q6. On average in the European Union, women earn 17.5% less than men for work of equal value. Generally speaking, would you say that a solution to this issue needs to be found…

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D.2 Preferred measuresSanctions and incentives are rated equally

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D.2 Preferred measuresFacilitating access for everyone and financial penalties are the leading measures in a majority of Member States

Facilitating access for women and men to any type of employment (for example,

men in social work and women in scientific and IT

professions)

Imposing financial penalties on companies that do not

respect gender equality (for example, on pay and

promotion)

Transparent pay scales in companies

Encouraging and supporting people who report cases of

unequal pay

EU27 27% 26% 24% 16%

CZ 38% 23% 25% 8%

DK 35% 10% 32% 13%

PL 34% 26% 14% 20%

ES 33% 29% 21% 13%

FI 33% 18% 31% 12%

DE 32% 16% 30% 13%

BG 31% 25% 25% 11%

IT 30% 29% 20% 15%

LV 30% 24% 23% 17%

LT 29% 17% 27% 19%

LU 29% 27% 22% 17%

AT 29% 19% 31% 13%

SE 28% 24% 22% 18%

Q7. In your opinion, which of the following measures would contribute the most to reducing the pay gap between women and men in (OUR COUNTRY)? (ONE ANSWER ONLY)

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D.2 Preferred measures

Facilitating access for women and men to any type of employment (for example,

men in social work and women in scientific and IT

professions)

Imposing financial penalties on companies that do not

respect gender equality (for example, on pay and

promotion)

Transparent pay scales in companies

Encouraging and supporting people who report cases of

unequal pay

EU27 27% 26% 24% 16%

SI 27% 30% 22% 12%

SK 27% 26% 29% 13%

EL 26% 33% 17% 17%

CY 26% 22% 26% 17%

HU 26% 23% 29% 15%

BE 25% 30% 23% 18%

EE 22% 12% 32% 19%

FR 22% 34% 25% 14%

NL 19% 25% 37% 15%

PT 19% 27% 22% 24%

RO 19% 29% 23% 20%

IE 18% 31% 29% 18%

MT 18% 30% 19% 27%

UK 14% 32% 27% 20%

Highest percentage per country Lowest percentage per countryHighest percentage by item Lowest percentage by item

E. GENDER DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE

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E. Pay gaps in certains occupations Pre-2004 Member States are more shocked by pay gaps

3%3%

‘Totally unjustified’Pre-2004 Member States:

62%Post-2004/2007 Member

States: 46%

Q8. At the current time, there are pay gaps between certain “female” professions and certain “male” professions, despite the fact that they require equivalent levels of training

and skills. Personally, would you say that these pay gaps are totally justified, fairly justified, fairly unjustified or totally unjustified?

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E. Pay gaps in certain occupationsNational variations

Q8. At the current time, there are pay gaps between certain “female” professions and certain “male” professions, despite the fact that they require equivalent levels of training and skills. Personally, would you say that these pay gaps are totally justified, fairly justified, fairly unjustified or totally unjustified?

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E. Recommended measures for combating gender under-representation Improving working conditions, the leading measure cited

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E. Recommended measures for combating gender under-representationImproving working conditions is the leading measure in 24 countries

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E. Recommended measures for combating gender under-representationMore attractive salaries is the leading measure in Latvia, Estonia and Hungary

F. CONCLUSION

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F. Conclusion

Gender inequality problems, in general, and pay gaps in particular, are regarded as serious by a very large majority of Europeans

To combat pay gaps, sanctions and incentives are rated equally

In terms of the trade-off between work and child-minding (father/mother), stereotypes persist

The EU level remains the most appropriate scale for tackling these problems

To promote gender diversity in "male" and "female" occupations, the improvement of working conditions is necessary in most Member States

Analysis by group of countries, by country and using socio-demographic criteria demonstrates genuine complexity in the structure of opinions of gender inequality are formed

Thank you for your

attention

Documents

EP EUROBAROMETER Flash International Women’s day 2012