In the 'PEI Economic Weekly' published this week, the Institute says that of the almost 80 million people employed in the EU in the science and technology industry in 2023, 52% were women.

According to the report, in three Polish macro regions the percentage of women in the sector exceeded 58%. These are the following macro regions: central (Łódź and Świętokrzyskie voivodeships) - 60.59%; eastern (Podlasie, Lublin and Podkarpackie voivodeships) - 59.70% and northern (Kuyavian-Pomeranian, Pomeranian and Warmian-Masurian voivodeships) - 59.58%.

Other EU regions with such a high percentage included Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. In turn, the regions with the lowest percentage of women included Malta and Italy - in both countries it was less than 50%. For comparison, the lowest result in Poland’s macro region of Masovia, this percentage is 54.97%.

According to the research, the number of women in the science and technology sector in Eastern Europe was influenced by communist ideology; East Germany also had a higher proportion of women than West Germany. The higher percentage of women in the science and technology sector in the former Eastern Bloc countries was also influenced by factors such as: different social gender patterns, encouraging women to choose a career in engineering, and greater support in reconciling child care and professional work.

The Polish Economic Institute is a public economic think tank. It deals with macroeconomics, energy and climate, foreign trade, economic forecasts, digital economy and behavioural economics.

The institute prepares reports, analyses and recommendations regarding key areas of the economy and social life in Poland. (PAP)

grg/ pad/ kap/

tr. RL