Women Dominate Europe’s Health Workforce but Face a 19% Pay Gap
Usagevpn.com – Women dominate Europe s health workforce, keeping hospitals, clinics and care services running across the region. Yet women in the sector earn 19% less per hour than men on average, according to a World Health Organization assessment that highlights persistent inequality in one of Europe’s most essential industries.
Health and care is the fourth-largest source of employment in the WHO European Region and the biggest employer of women. Women make up 77% of the health workforce, compared with 45% of workers across all other sectors combined. Their representation falls to 55% among the highest-paid employees.
“Women make up the majority of the people who keep Europe’s health systems running, yet they’re paid less than their male counterparts, a gap that compounds over a lifelong career,” said Natasha Azzopardi Muscat, director of the Division for Health Systems at WHO Europe.
The pay gap widens in higher-paid roles
The difference in hourly earnings is smaller among lower-paid workers, at about 2%. But it exceeds 22% at the top of the wage scale, suggesting that gender inequality becomes more pronounced as earnings and seniority rise.
This matters because health and care accounts for nearly 17% of all jobs held by women, compared with 5% of men’s employment. Women dominate Europe s health services in number, but they remain less represented in the best-paid positions.
Worldwide, women working in health earn 24% less than men on average. Europe’s 19% hourly gap is lower than the global figure, but it remains significant for a sector built largely on women’s labour.
Employment factors explain only part of the disparity
WHO examined several factors that can affect pay, including age, education, public or private sector employment, and full-time or part-time work. After these characteristics are considered, the average hourly pay gap falls from 19% to 6%.
The monthly pay difference also declines, from 28% to 10%, after adjustment. However, the data still cannot explain a substantial part of the remaining gap.
“Most of this gap isn’t down to women working fewer hours, being younger or working in different parts of the sector,” Azzopardi Muscat said. “It comes down to how the sector values women’s work.”
The findings point to broader issues, including the value assigned to care work, gender segregation in occupations and access to better-paid leadership roles. Jobs with a larger female workforce often attract lower pay, including across management, professional and technical occupations.
Lower pay can affect women throughout their lives
Health and care management offers one example. Women hold a larger share of management jobs in the sector than in management roles elsewhere in the economy, but the average hourly rate is lower: €22 in health and care, compared with €24.70 for similar positions in other sectors.
Over a career, lower hourly wages can reduce total earnings, pension entitlements and financial security in later life. They can also increase women’s risk of poverty after years spent supporting the health and care of others.
“It means lower pensions, less financial security in older age, and a higher risk of poverty for women who’ve spent their working lives caring for others,” Azzopardi Muscat said.
Addressing pay inequality is also a workforce issue. Fairer compensation, stronger career progression and better recognition may help health systems retain the skilled professionals, managers and technical staff needed to meet future demand.
FAQ: Women and pay in Europe’s health workforce
How large is the hourly pay gap? Women in Europe’s health and care sector earn 19% less per hour than men on average, according to WHO’s assessment.
Does part-time work explain the gap? It explains only part of it. When age, education, working time and public or private employment are considered, a 6% hourly difference remains.
What could help reduce the gap? WHO points to pay transparency, stronger representation of women in decision-making roles and action against gender norms that undervalue care work.
