Indicator 5.40 Persons outside the labour force due to caring responsibilities by sex

The population outside the labour force comprises individuals who are not employed and are either not actively seeking work or not available to work (even if they have found a job that will start in the future). Therefore, they are neither employed nor unemployed. This definition used in the EU Labour Force Survey (EU-LFS) is based on the resolutions of the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) organised by the International Labour Organization (ILO). The reason for being outside the labour force covered by this indicator includes ‘care of adults with disabilities or children’. Only people who express willingness to work, despite being outside the labour force, are considered.

Indicator is used to monitor progress towards SDG 5 on gender equality and SDG 8 on decent work and economic growth, which are embedded in the European Commission’s Priorities under the ‘Supporting people, strenghtening our societes and our social model’. The European Pillar of Social Rights, jointly proclaimed by the European Commission, the European Parliament and the European Council in 2017, sets out 20 key principles and rights essential for fair and well-functioning labour markets and social protection systems.

The EU Gender Equality Strategy commits to achieving a Union of Equality and presents policy objectives and actions to make significant progress by 2025 towards a gender-equal Europe, where women and men, girls and boys, are free to pursue their chosen path in life and have equal opportunities to thrive. The key objectives are ending gender-based violence; challenging gender stereotypes; closing gender gaps in the labour market; achieving equal participation across different sectors of the economy; addressing the gender pay and pension gaps; closing the gender care gap and achieving gender balance in decision-making and in politics.

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