The share of women working as scientists and engineers in Cyprus stands at 42.3% in 2024, according to data published on Wednesday by the European Statistical Office (Eurostat), on the occasion of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science. This figure exceeds the European Union average, which stands at 40.5%.
At an EU level, the number of women employed in these fields has followed an upward trend in recent years. According to Eurostat, it increased from 3.4 million in 2008 to 5.2 million in 2014, reaching 7.9 million in 2024.
In 2024, women accounted for 40.5% of the total workforce of scientists and engineers in the EU. The share was higher in knowledge-intensive services (45.1%) and in the services sector overall (45.0%). In manufacturing, women represented 22.4% of scientists and engineers, while in other activities the corresponding share stood at 23.6%.
According to Eurostat, significant differences are observed among member states. The highest shares of women scientists and engineers in 2024 were recorded in Latvia (50.9%), Denmark (48.8%), Estonia (47.9%), Spain (47.6%), and in Bulgaria and Ireland (both 47.3%). The lowest shares were registered in Finland (30.7%), Hungary (31.7%), Luxembourg (32.4%), Slovakia (33.6%) and Germany (34.6%).
At a regional level (NUTS 1), women were in the majority among scientists and engineers in 11 EU regions. In Spain, the highest shares were recorded in Canarias (58.8%), Centro (52.5%), Noroeste (52.4%) and Sur (50.3%). In Portugal, women formed a majority in Região Autónoma dos Açores (57.3%) and Madeira (56.4%). Similarly, majorities were recorded in Poland’s Makroregion Centralny (54.8%) and Makroregion Wschodni (54.0%), in Bulgaria’s Severna i yugoiztochna (53.3%), in Sweden’s Norra Sverige (52.0%) and in Latvia (50.9%).
The lowest regional shares were recorded in Hungary’s Közép-Magyarország (30.0%), Finland’s Manner-Suomi (30.7%), Italy’s Sud (31.1%), and in the German regions of Rheinland-Pfalz (31.3%), Baden-Württemberg (31.7%) and Hessen (32.3%).
International Day of Women and Girls in Science fell on 11 February.
(Source: CNA)
