Background and Findings
Over the past decade, the labor market situation for Croatian women has seen significant improvements, approaching the European Union (EU) averages. However, challenges remain, particularly for young women (ages 15–24) and older women (ages 55–64), whose employment rates are lower not only compared to men, but also to their EU counterparts. In 2023, only 19.4% of Croatian women ages 15–24 were employed, compared to one-third in the EU. For women in the later stages of their careers, the employment-to-population ratio was 47.5%, compared to 58.0% in the EU. In the prime age group (ages 25–49), female labor force participation was slightly higher than the EU average, but still below that for men.
The “Breaking Barriers: Empowering Women in Croatia’s Workforce” report identifies main barriers to female labor force participation, covering individual, sociocultural, structural, and institutional factors. For example, traditional norms often place caregiving responsibilities predominantly on women, leading to unequal sharing of family duties. Additionally, gaps in childcare coverage and the inaccessibility of care facilities, especially in rural areas, exacerbate gender employment gaps. Women in Croatia are also more likely to work in nonstandard forms of employment or engage in unpaid work, earning less than men, while the availability of flexible work arrangements for parents is limited.
Despite these challenges, Croatian women outperform men in educational outcomes and have higher participation rates in tertiary education. Yet, they are underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, which risks worsening inequalities in employment and wages in the future. In addition, there are also fewer women entrepreneurs than there are male in Croatia and they often lack access to systematic support, including skills, entrepreneurship, and financial training, and suitable financial products, in particular in the case of small entrepreneurs.
Policy Recommendations
To address these barriers and enhance women's labor market outcomes, the report offers the following actionable recommendations:
Transforming social norms: Promoting shared parental responsibilities and gender-neutral career guidance, as well as increasing parental leave compensation to incentivize more fathers to take leave.
Improving childcare access: Expanding early childhood education and care facilities, aligning coverage with working hours, and providing guaranteed and subsidized kindergarten placements after parental leave across the country.
Facilitating transitions to work: Expanding access to flexible work arrangements, such as telework and part-time contracts. Implementing reskilling and upskilling initiatives, particularly in the digital sector.
Supporting women in entrepreneurship: Expanding access to suitable financial products, counseling, mentoring, and entrepreneurship training. Fostering collaboration through networking hubs and mentoring clinics.
Expanding long-term care facilities: Fostering women’s entrepreneurship within the care market, particularly in rural areas. Developing mobility programs for migrant workers to assist with in-home care. Promoting digital health tools and innovative age-tech products to support the elderly.
Designing gender-sensitive policies: Tailoring active labor market policies to address unique barriers faced by women. Providing upskilling, reskilling, and internships, and ensuring flexibility to accommodate family obligations.
By implementing these recommendations, Croatia can make significant strides towards gender equality in the labor market, ultimately contributing to the country's economic growth and social progress.