Women in Lithuania: more educated, earn less but their role is increasing

Slowly but surely, according to the Lithuanian Statistics Department data the female half is taking over in running not only the Lithuanian households but the state also.

Women made 37 % of all leaders in the Lithuanian ruling elite such as the parliamentarians, senior state officials and executives of companies and establishments.The number of female businessmen is also on the rise but still remains lower than that of men.  In 2007, women made 31 % of businessmen in Lithuania, as compared with 26 % in 2006. Even though Lithuania amongst the leaders in the world regarding the gender equality women are still make lower salaries than men.Females made 60 percent of all students of universities and colleges in 2007 and early 2008.

The department said that 1,797,600 women lived in Lithuania in the beginning of the year, which is 230,000 more than men. Women made 53 % of the population, with 1,146 women registered per 1,000 men.  Average life expectancy of women is 77 years, as compared with 65 years of men. The average life expectancy of a statistical Lithuanian woman is 12 years longer than that of men, she marries and gives birth to her first child at the age of 25, shows data issued by the Lithuanian Statistics Department. According to the data, 63 % of women and 69 % of men of employable age had jobs.Women’s average gross wages per hour was 19.3 % lower than men’s wages.It needs to be noted that there are no set quotas in the state institutions and the parliament for women.  Hence, everything what is achieved by the women in Lithuania is achieved by the natural causes, or by the Darwin laws, if you wish.

If the EU Commissioner Dalia Grybauskaitė (who was voted the best EU Commissioner in 2005) will agree to run for the Lithuania’s President post in 2009, it is almost certain that she will win.  Hence, the situation in Lithuania is changing rapidly.  Lithuanian woman not only pretty but very bright and ambitious.

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