Occupational segregation of Women and Men in the European Community

The increasing participation of European women in the labour market might be expected to lead to integration and equality and away from gender segregation and inequality. This study of occupational segregation among men and women in the European Community shows that such expectations are not justified. Women may be making inroads into some jobs previously dominated by men but this is counterbalanced by increasing féminisation of clerical and service sector work. Countries with high female participation rates show just as great if not greater tendencies towards segregation as those with low participation rates, or
low economic productivity. Occupational segregation is likely to remain a
pervasive and persistent characteristic of all labour markets, and a characteristic that needs to be taken into account in all types of employment analysis within the Community