Cyprus ranks slightly above the EU average for women employed in engineering and science, with 42.3% of positions held by women, Eurostat reported on Wednesday.
The EU average stands at 40.5%, with Latvia (50.9%) and Denmark (48.8%) leading, while Finland (30.7%) and Hungary (31.7%) have the lowest shares.
Growth across the EU
Across the EU, the number of women working in engineering and science more than doubled over the past two decades, reaching 7.9 million in 2024, up from 3.4 million in 2008. Women in the sector are more likely to work in knowledge-intensive services (45.1%) and general services, while employment in manufacturing (22.4%) and other activities (23.6%) remains lower.
Gender gaps remain
Despite the strong representation in STEM, Cyprus ranks last in the EU’s latest gender equality index. Low-paid work remains a concern: 33% of women earn two-thirds or less of the national median income, compared to 14% of men.
Women in couples earn on average 69% of their partner’s earnings, with men earning 51% more than their partners. These disparities have seen little change over the past decade.
High employment, selective progress
The overall employment rate for women in Cyprus is among the highest in the EU, with a full-time equivalent (FTE) rate of 55% for women versus 64% for men. The FTE gap is particularly pronounced among couples with children. Encouragingly, women now represent 24% of ICT specialists and 26% of management positions, with both figures showing growth since 2015.
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