ECONOMIC PARTICIPATION AND OPPORTUNITY GENDER EQUALITY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION'S LABOR MARKET

Despite women's educational achievements in recent years, the gender gap in the labor market persists while women continue to earn less than men. This paper gives an overview of the gender relations in the labor market, specifically within the European Union. It examines the gender gap in the areas of education, employment and pay, to identify the growth potential in increasing gender equality across the member states. It introduces briefly gender mainstreaming as a tool adopted by the European Union requiring the member states to incorporate gender equality perspective in all policies, at all levels and at all stages.