Gender equality remains merely on paper

Women in Luxembourg continue to face under-representation in a number of economic sectors. According to the 2025 report by the Gender Equality Observatory (Observatoire de l’égalité entre les genres), they are more likely to work part-time, bear the main responsibility for domestic duties and, on average, receive lower incomes and pensions than men. Nevertheless, Yuriko Backes, Minister for Equality and Diversity, notes significant improvements in this area. 

Over the past decade, Luxembourg has climbed 10 places in the European Institute for Gender Equality’s ranking, significantly narrowing the gender gap in employment rates. This positive trend is underpinned by an increase in the number of women moving into full-time work and a rise in the number of men taking parental leave.

The document pays particular attention to financial inequality. When hourly pay is taken into account, women in Luxembourg earn slightly more than men, which is partly due to the high proportion of women employed in the extensive public sector. However, when annual salaries and bonus payments are taken into account, men still earn more for equivalent work. The pension gap also remains a significant issue: although the disparity is gradually narrowing as more women enter the labour market, Luxembourg still lags behind most European countries in this respect.

The most surprising findings emerged from the survey on gender stereotypes. The study revealed that 46% of men consider it acceptable to control their partner’s finances. It is noteworthy that 26% of the women surveyed also agreed with this statement. Alongside these persistent social attitudes, the report highlights an alarming trend in the area of domestic violence. Compared with the previous year, the number of police interventions relating to domestic disputes increased by 10%. During 2025, around 6,000 victims sought help from specialist support services.