Report on Gender-Based Disparities in Rural Areas of the European Union in the Context of the Sustainable Development Goals
Introduction: Aligning EU Policy with Global Goals
This report analyses gender-based statistics for populations in rural areas of the European Union (EU), contextualised within the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The EU’s foundational commitment to gender equality, enshrined in its treaties and the Charter of Fundamental Rights, directly aligns with SDG 5 (Gender Equality). However, women in rural areas face distinct challenges, including limited access to services, undervalued ‘invisible labour’, and barriers to stable employment. These issues represent significant hurdles to achieving not only SDG 5 but also SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). EU initiatives, such as “The long-term vision for the EU’s rural areas,” aim to address these disparities by promoting female entrepreneurship and improving services, thereby contributing to the localisation of the SDGs.
Demographic trends, such as the gender-selective migration of young women from rural areas, further impact the socio-economic development of these regions, creating imbalances that challenge the principles of SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) by potentially hampering the sustainable development of rural territories.
Education: A Foundation for Equality and Opportunity (SDG 4 & SDG 5)
Access to quality education is a cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda, central to SDG 4 (Quality Education) and a critical enabler for SDG 5. This section examines educational attainment in rural EU, assessing progress towards gender parity and identifying persistent gaps.
Early Leavers from Education and Training
The EU’s target to reduce the share of early leavers from education and training to below 9% by 2030 supports SDG Target 4.1 (ensure all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education). In 2023, the rate in rural EU areas was 9.9%.
- The rate for young men (11.2%) was higher than for young women (8.3%), indicating a gendered challenge in keeping young men in education.
- The gender gap in rural areas narrowed from 4.1 percentage points in 2013 to 2.9 points in 2023, showing progress towards gender equality in educational retention.
- However, in rural areas of Bulgaria and Slovenia, a higher share of young women were early leavers, highlighting localised challenges to SDG 5.
Tertiary Educational Attainment
The EU’s goal for at least 45% of 25-34 year-olds to have tertiary education by 2030 aligns with SDG Target 4.3 (ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education). In rural EU areas, women are surpassing men in this regard, yet this educational advantage does not consistently translate into economic empowerment.
- In 2023, 38.4% of young women in rural areas had a tertiary degree, compared to 25.3% of young men, resulting in a gender gap of 13.1 percentage points in favour of women.
- This “reverse” gender gap was observed in every EU country, widening in 17 countries between 2013 and 2023.
- This trend underscores a success in achieving educational parity for women (SDG 4 and SDG 5) but also signals a systemic failure to leverage this human capital, a key concern for SDG 8.
Gender Differences in the Labour Market: The Path to Decent Work (SDG 5 & SDG 8)
Despite higher educational attainment, women in rural areas face significant barriers in the labour market. These disparities undermine progress towards SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), particularly Target 8.5 (achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men), and SDG 5 (Gender Equality), specifically Target 5.5 (ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership).
Employment Rates
The gender employment gap remains a stark indicator of inequality in rural economies.
- In 2023, the employment rate for women (20-64 years) in rural areas was 69.7%, significantly lower than the 81.0% for men.
- This 11.3 percentage point gap is wider than the EU average, indicating that rural settings exacerbate employment challenges for women.
- While the gap has narrowed from 13.4 points in 2013, progress is slow. In countries like Romania, Greece, and Italy, the gap exceeded 20 percentage points in 2023, driven by particularly low female employment rates.
Part-Time Employment
The prevalence of part-time work is a highly gendered issue, often reflecting the unequal burden of unpaid care and domestic work, a barrier addressed by SDG Target 5.4.
- In rural EU areas, 26.5% of employed women worked part-time in 2023, compared to just 6.0% of men.
- This 20.5 percentage point gender gap highlights how balancing work and family responsibilities disproportionately affects women’s careers and economic independence, impacting their ability to secure decent work (SDG 8).
Unemployment Rates
Unemployment analysis reveals further gender-based vulnerabilities, particularly for youth, which is a focus of SDG Target 8.6 (substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training).
- Overall Unemployment: In 2023, the female unemployment rate in rural areas (5.7%) was higher than the male rate (5.0%). This gap was most pronounced in Greece and Spain, pointing to structural barriers for women seeking work.
- Youth Unemployment: The female youth (15-24 years) unemployment rate in rural areas was 13.8% in 2023, compared to 13.1% for young men. This disparity, especially acute in countries like Greece, indicates that young women face a more difficult transition from education to the workforce, hindering progress on both SDG 5 and SDG 8.
Gender Differences in Living Conditions: Tackling Poverty and Inequality (SDG 1 & SDG 10)
Economic and social well-being are fundamental to the 2030 Agenda. This section assesses gender disparities in living conditions, directly relating to SDG 1 (No Poverty), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
Risk of Poverty or Social Exclusion (AROPE)
The AROPE indicator is crucial for monitoring SDG Target 1.2 (reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty). The data reveals a clear gender dimension to poverty risk in rural areas.
- In 2023, 22.5% of females in rural EU areas were at risk of poverty or social exclusion, compared to 20.4% of males.
- This gender gap was present in nearly all EU countries and widened between 2015 and 2023 in 15 member states, indicating a negative trend for SDG 1 and SDG 10.
- The highest gender gaps were observed in Cyprus, Croatia, and Malta, underscoring the intersection of gender and geographic location as drivers of inequality.
Median Income
The gender income gap is a direct measure of economic inequality, reflecting disparities in pay, hours worked, and job quality. Closing this gap is essential for women’s economic empowerment (SDG 5) and reducing overall inequality (SDG 10).
- In 2023, the median equivalised net income for men in rural EU areas was 4.3% higher than for women.
- While this gap was slightly narrower than the economy-wide average (4.9%), it demonstrates that even in rural settings, women’s economic contributions are valued less.
- In all EU countries, men’s median income in rural areas was higher than women’s, with the largest gaps in Sweden, Bulgaria, and Lithuania, highlighting a persistent and universal challenge to achieving economic equality.
Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
SDG 1: No Poverty
- The article addresses SDG 1 by dedicating a section to “Gender differences in living conditions,” which analyzes the risk of poverty. It specifically discusses the “at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE)” rate, a key indicator for social inclusion and poverty monitoring in the EU. The analysis breaks down this risk by gender and for rural areas, directly connecting to the goal of ending poverty in all its forms.
SDG 4: Quality Education
- SDG 4 is a central theme, with a dedicated section titled “Education.” The article examines gender-based statistics related to educational attainment in rural EU areas. It analyzes key issues such as “early leavers from education and training” and the share of the population with “tertiary level of educational attainment,” comparing outcomes for women and men and referencing specific EU policy targets for 2030, which aligns with the goal of ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
- This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The text explicitly states that the European Commission’s Gender Equality Strategy is designed to help the EU attain “the 5th Sustainable Development Goal, namely, to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.” The entire article is an analysis of gender-based statistics, focusing on disparities between women and men in rural areas across education, employment, and living conditions, thereby addressing the core mission of SDG 5.
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- The article extensively covers SDG 8 in the section “Gender differences in the labour market.” It analyzes employment rates, unemployment rates, youth unemployment, part-time work, and the gender gaps associated with these metrics. By focusing on issues like access to employment, working conditions (part-time work), and the challenges women face in the rural labor market, the article directly relates to the goal of promoting sustained, inclusive economic growth and decent work for all.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 10 is addressed through the article’s overarching theme of analyzing and highlighting inequalities. The primary focus is on inequality between genders (men and women) in various socioeconomic domains. Additionally, it compares disparities within rural areas to the national averages, touching upon the inequality between rural and urban populations. The analysis of income gaps, such as the “median equivalised net income,” further reinforces its connection to reducing inequalities within and among countries.
What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
SDG 1: No Poverty
- Target 1.2: By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. The article’s focus on the “at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE)” rate in the EU, with a breakdown by sex and for rural areas, directly aligns with this target of reducing poverty according to national or regional definitions.
SDG 4: Quality Education
- Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes. The discussion on “early leavers from education and training” for young people aged 18-24 relates to this target, as it measures the share of youth who do not complete upper secondary education.
- Target 4.3: By 2030, ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university. The article directly addresses this by analyzing the “tertiary level of educational attainment” for people aged 25-34, highlighting the significant gender gap where more women in rural areas achieve this level than men.
SDG 5: Gender Equality
- Target 5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere. The article highlights how women in rural areas “may experience more limited access (than men) to services, rural organisations, productive infrastructure and technology” and face difficulties in employment, which are forms of de facto discrimination.
- Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life. The article touches upon this by noting that higher educational attainment for women “rarely translated into better labour market outcomes,” reflecting “barriers to participation.” It also references the EU’s goal of “attaining gender balance in decision-making.”
SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
- Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value. This target is central to the article’s analysis of the labor market, which examines employment rates, unemployment rates, part-time work, and the persistent gender gaps in these areas. The discussion on the “gender gap for median equivalised net income” also relates to the principle of equal pay.
- Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training. The article directly addresses this by mentioning the EU’s goal of “closing the gender gap for young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEET)” and by providing a detailed analysis of the “youth unemployment rate” for people aged 15-24.
SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. The entire article supports this target by analyzing the socioeconomic situation of women in rural areas, highlighting their specific challenges and disparities compared to men and to the general population, with the implicit goal of promoting their inclusion.
Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
SDG 1 Indicators
- Indicator: Share of people at risk of poverty or social exclusion (AROPE).
Explanation: The article uses this as a headline indicator, providing data for 2023. It states, “In 2023, the risk of poverty or social exclusion in rural areas of the EU was 22.5% for females and 20.4% for males.” This directly measures progress towards Target 1.2.
SDG 4 Indicators
- Indicator: Share of early leavers from education and training (ages 18-24).
Explanation: The article provides specific data, noting that in 2023, this share was 9.9% for young people in rural areas. It further breaks this down by gender, stating the share for female early leavers was 8.3% and for male early leavers was 11.2% in rural EU areas. - Indicator: Share of population with a tertiary level of educational attainment (ages 25-34).
Explanation: The article reports that in 2023, “38.4% of young women living in rural areas of the EU had a tertiary level of educational attainment,” compared to 25.3% for young men, providing a clear metric for Target 4.3.
SDG 5 Indicators
- Indicator: Gender gaps in various socioeconomic domains.
Explanation: The article uses the concept of the “gender gap” as a primary indicator to measure inequality. Specific examples include:- Gender employment gap: “In 2023, the employment rate for men living in rural areas was considerably higher, at 81.0%, resulting in a gender gap of 11.3 percentage points.”
- Gender gap for tertiary educational attainment: “…there was a gender gap of 13.1 percentage points” in favor of women in 2023.
- Gender gap for median equivalised net income: “…in rural areas, median male incomes were 4.3% higher” than female incomes in 2023.
SDG 8 Indicators
- Indicator: Employment rate (ages 20-64), by sex.
Explanation: The article provides detailed data: “In 2023, 69.7% of all women of working age (20–64 years) living in rural areas of the EU were in employment,” compared to 81.0% for men. - Indicator: Unemployment rate (ages 15-74), by sex.
Explanation: The article notes the EU’s unemployment rate in rural areas was 5.3% in 2023 and analyzes the gender unemployment gap, which was 0.7 percentage points. - Indicator: Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24), by sex.
Explanation: Data for 2023 shows the youth unemployment rate in EU rural areas was 13.8% for females and 13.1% for males. - Indicator: Share of employed people working on a part-time basis (ages 20-64), by sex.
Explanation: The article states that in EU rural areas, “the share of employed women working on a part-time basis was 26.5% in 2023, which was considerably higher than the corresponding share for employed men living in rural areas (6.0%).”
SDG 10 Indicators
- Indicator: Median equivalised net income, by sex.
Explanation: This indicator is used to measure income inequality. The article shows that in 2023, “median equivalised net income levels in the EU for males were higher than income levels observed for females, both across the whole economy and in rural areas.”
Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators Identified in the Article |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 1: No Poverty | 1.2: Reduce at least by half the proportion of people living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions. |
|
| SDG 4: Quality Education |
4.1: Ensure all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education.
4.3: Ensure equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality tertiary education. |
|
| SDG 5: Gender Equality |
5.1: End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership in economic life. |
|
| SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth |
8.5: Achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men.
8.6: Substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET). |
|
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | 10.2: Empower and promote the social and economic inclusion of all, irrespective of sex. |
|
Source: ec.europa.eu
