Western Balkans countries need to employ more women in better paying jobs

Representatives from the Western Balkans have pledged to ensure more women find paid employment in higher skilled and better paying jobs, said Linda Van Gelder, World Bank Regional Director for the Western Balkans.

The World Bank announced that Gelder said at the event named “Unleashing Economic Growth Potential in the Western Balkans - Improving Equity and Gender Equality in Access to Economic Opportunities” that “the importance of increasing access to opportunities for women in the Western Balkans is critical for growth, development, and EU accession”.

Estimates show that up to 18 percent of regional GDP is lost due to gender gaps in the labor market, the press release says.

Girls and women in the Western Balkans, although better educated than before, still do not participate equally in the labor market and, when they do, are more likely to be employed in low-skilled and low-paying jobs, warned the speakers at the Vienna gathering.

Svetska Banka-WB Beograd

Western Balkans

employment of women

position of women in Serbia

employing women in better paying jobs

Linda Van Gelder

gender gap

gender equality

women in the Western Balkans