Individual and regional determinants of women’s participation in the European labour market: a Labour Force Survey empirical study

In line with the existing literature, the primary focus of the present paper is on understanding the multifaceted factors contributing to unequal employment opportunities for women and the potential implications for both individuals and society. Specifically, the objective is to identify meaningful risk factors that affect the probability of being employed for women in the 20–49 age group, exploring possible demographic, educational, social, and family factors, as well as territorial context factors. The analysis is conducted on the three most populous European countries (Italy, France, and Germany) as representatives of different welfare regimes. The analysis exploits the rich information available in the micro-data of the Labour Force Survey (2021) as well as Eurostat regional statistics considering individuals nested in regions (NUTS 2). A deep analysis of empirical findings sheds light on employment determinants and motivations for not working, which appear to be essentially related to family and demographic factors. These results reveal the country-specific profiles that indicate greater risk of non-employment and also provide a basis for suggesting different policy implications.