Analysis of the EU Cultural Sector’s Progress Towards Sustainable Development Goals

Advancements in Gender Equality (SDG 5): The Employment Gap

Recent data indicates significant progress towards achieving gender equality, a cornerstone of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (SDG 5), within the European Union’s cultural sector. The gender employment gap has seen a substantial reduction, marking a positive trend towards ensuring women’s full and effective participation in economic life.

• The gender gap in cultural employment narrowed from 6.4 percentage points in 2015 to 0.8 percentage points in 2024, the smallest recorded gap in a decade.
• In a demonstration of shifting employment dynamics, 16 EU countries now report a higher share of women in cultural employment than men. Latvia (+32.6 percentage points) and Estonia (+24.2 percentage points) lead this trend.
• Conversely, 11 EU countries still show a higher share of cultural employment for men, with the largest disparities in Spain and Italy.
• Greece, Romania, and Austria have achieved near-parity, effectively closing the gender employment gap in this sector.

Challenges to Decent Work (SDG 8) and Reduced Inequalities (SDG 10)

Despite progress in closing the overall employment gap, significant disparities persist that challenge the objectives of SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities). These inequalities are evident in employment conditions, earnings, and the prevalence of low-wage work.

• Employment Status: Men are more likely to be self-employed (35.6%) compared to women (27.7%).
• Work Intensity: A significant disparity exists in full-time employment, with 81.9% of men in full-time roles compared to only 70% of women, indicating potential barriers for women to secure stable, full-time work.
• The Gender Pay Gap: A critical failure in achieving SDG Target 8.5 (equal pay for work of equal value) is the persistent gender pay gap. In 2022, men’s gross hourly earnings in the cultural sector were, on average, 13.5% higher than women’s across the EU, a reality in 26 of the 27 member states.

An analysis of low-wage earners reveals specific sub-sectors where gender inequality is most pronounced:

1. Printing and reproduction of recorded media: This sector shows the greatest imbalance, with 25% of women classified as low-wage earners compared to 12.4% of men.
2. Motion picture, video, television, and music activities: This area follows closely, with 23% of women in low-wage positions versus 15.1% of men.

Barriers to Female Leadership and Decision-Making (SDG 5 & SDG 16)

The unbalanced distribution of decision-making positions remains a significant barrier to achieving SDG 5, specifically Target 5.5, which calls for women’s full participation and equal opportunities for leadership. This also impacts SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) by hindering the development of fully inclusive and representative institutions. Over the past decade, the percentage of women occupying managerial positions in the cultural sector has consistently remained below the 50% parity mark, indicating a systemic challenge to female leadership.

Analysis of Cultural Participation and Inclusivity (SDG 5 & SDG 10)

Data from 2022 on cultural participation provides further insight into gender dynamics and broader societal inequalities, relevant to both SDG 5 and SDG 10.

• In most EU countries (17 of 26) and across most age groups, women’s participation rates in cultural activities exceeded those of men.
• National participation rates varied widely, highlighting inequalities in access to culture (SDG 10). Denmark reported the highest rate for women (79.6%), while Luxembourg had the highest for men (77.5%).
• Extremely low overall participation in countries like Bulgaria (20.5% for women, 18.7% for men) and Romania (21.8% for women, 22.7% for men) points to significant national inequalities in cultural access that transcend gender.

The analysis indicates that while gender-based inequalities in cultural participation are not severe in most EU countries, strong national disparities in overall access to cultural life persist, posing a challenge to the goal of reducing inequalities within and among countries (SDG 10).

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the EU’s Cultural Sector

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  The article’s central theme is the disparity between men and women in the cultural sector. It directly addresses gender equality by examining the employment gap, differences in earnings, representation in leadership roles, and work status (full-time vs. self-employed).

• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

  The article focuses on employment within the cultural sector, a key component of economic growth. It discusses aspects of decent work by highlighting issues such as the gender pay gap, the prevalence of low-wage work for women, and differences in full-time employment, which relate to job quality and economic security.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  This goal is addressed by the article’s detailed analysis of inequalities between genders. The data on the gender pay gap (“men’s gross hourly earnings in cultural employment were, on average, 13.5% higher than those of women”) and the underrepresentation of women in managerial positions are clear examples of economic inequality that this SDG aims to reduce.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.

  This target is directly relevant as the article explicitly states there is an “unbalanced distribution of decision-making positions between men and women” and notes that “the percentage of women occupying managerial positions was always below 50%” over the past decade.

• Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men… and equal pay for work of equal value.

  The article directly relates to this target by providing detailed statistics on the gender employment gap, the disparity in full-time work, and, most significantly, the gender pay gap. The finding that “men earned more than women in this sector” in 26 of 27 EU countries, with an average gap of 13.5%, directly addresses the principle of equal pay for work of equal value.

• Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… sex… or other status.

  The issues discussed, such as the pay gap, lower rates of full-time employment for women, and fewer women in leadership roles, are all barriers to the full economic inclusion of women in the cultural sector. The article’s data highlights the extent of this challenge.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Proportion of women in managerial positions.

  The article provides a direct indicator for Target 5.5 by stating that “the percentage of women occupying managerial positions was always below 50%.” This metric can be tracked over time to measure progress.

• Gender pay gap.

  As an indicator for Target 8.5, the article specifies that “men’s gross hourly earnings in cultural employment were, on average, 13.5% higher than those of women in the EU.” This is a precise indicator of pay inequality.

• Proportion of men and women in different types of employment.

  The article provides several indicators related to Target 8.5, including the share of men and women in full-time work (“81.9% of men were in full-time work, while for women the value was significantly lower at 70%”) and the proportion who are self-employed (“27.7% of women in cultural employment were self-employed compared with 35.6% of men”).

• Proportion of low-wage earners by gender.

  As an indicator for Target 10.2, the article points to the share of women in low-wage positions in specific sub-sectors, such as “printing and reproduction of recorded media”, where “a quarter of women being on low wages compared with 12.4% of men.”

4. Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: euronews.com