The woman? Must stay at home. Here is the 21st century EU as told by Eurobarometer

Brussels – The man at work, the woman at home. The former to bring the money home, the latter at home to keep it clean and tidy, taking care of the children. Welcome to 21st-century Europe, where the conception of man-woman dynamics propels the EU into a historical moment that calls for reflection. Eurobarometer has tried its hand at probing what, how many, and where the commonplaces and stereotypes are, and the picture shows a Europe still stuck in conceptions that are difficult to overcome. First is the assumed identity for which “woman = stay at home”.

This picture emerges from at least three questions asked between January and February 2024, with results published today (Dec. 17). One question asks whether, “on the whole, men are naturally less competent than women in household chores.” The answer is a majority of “yes” in 12 out of 27 member countries, with Italy third in this special ranking (53 per cent) that implicitly calls for letting women take care of the home.

Again, regarding work, they asked, “As a whole, does family life suffer when the mother has a full-time job?” The majority of Europeans (51 per cent) have no doubt: yes. More: in 17 out of 27 member states, an absolute majority of respondents see it this way, joined by a split Luxembourg (49 per cent “yes”, 49 per cent ‘no’). Again, Italy records an appreciation for women’s limited working lives.

The third question, the most direct, is the one that provides insight into how it’s hanging in today’s EU. “Is the most important role for a woman to take care of the home and family?” Here, 38 per cent of respondents answered “yes”. So there is no majority, but on closer inspection, only 50 per cent of respondents say “no”. There are 11 countries with a clear view of women as relegated to the household economy.

In any case, a widely shared culture emerges in Eastern Europe about roles, tasks, and, consequently, place in society. It is mainly Eastern European countries (Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia) that want women at home, possibly without a job.

In short, within the EU, there is not only a real, concrete problem of equal opportunities and gender equality, a structural and long-standing problem: In the EU there is a primarily cultural problem, of conception, which inevitably holds back ambitions and efforts.

“Today’s survey shows how far we have come and how far we still have to go,” remarks Hadja Lahbib, commissioner for Equality, who is aware of the need to move forward. “I am committed to intensifying this work during my term,” the Belgian pledged. “Gender stereotypes affect all of us, but it is unfair that these prejudices continue to affect the professional and personal lives of our fellow citizens.”