“The impact of fiscal measures on labour market participation shouldn’t be underestimated” says PwC-expert Bart Van den Bussche

Diegem – 17 July 2025. Participation barriers, not the pay gap, are holding back Belgium’s gender equality at work. ​ In PwC’s latest edition of the Women in Work Index, Belgium remains stable in 13^th place among the 33 OECD countries. Belgium’s biggest challenge seems to be attracting women into full employment: only 2 out of 3 women work, and more than one in 4 is not employed full-time. Bart Van den Bussche, Reward Partner PwC Belgium, comments: “If we want to harness the full potential of every talented individual, existing barriers need to be addressed. Policymakers shouldn’t underestimate the impact that fiscal measures to support childcare and service vouchers have on our labour market participation.” ​  

For the twelfth time, the professional services provider PwC has published its Women in Work Index, an analysis of the progress made in gender equality in the labour market. Based on five parameters, it examines how women in the 33 OECD countries score compared to men and how countries compare to each other according to a composite index. Based on the latest data (2023), Belgium is in 13th place for the second year in a row, with an index score of 72.5 points. The top 3 countries are Iceland (81.7), New Zealand (81.3) and Luxembourg (81.0). ​ 

While Belgium scores strongly in terms of reducing the gender pay gap (4.3%, ranked 4th in the OECD), it is almost at a standstill in terms of its score over the last 10 years, with little improvement (0.1) over the last 2 years. This slow progress has translated into Belgium dropping in the ranking. Since 2014, Belgium has been floating between 10th place (2015, 2018, 2019) and 13th place (2016, 2022, 2023). 

What's hindering full-time employment?  

If it’s not the pay gap, what is holding back gender equality in Belgium’s workforce? PwC Belgium’s expert Bart Van den Bussche sees foremost a significant difference in labour market participation. Belgian women are still significantly less active in the labour market than men. Only 66.7% of Belgian women are employed, a minor decrease from last year’s result (-0.1%) and rather slow progress over the last 10 years (+3.7%). Where neighbouring countries were able to get the women’s employment rate up to 71.2% (France), 70.7% (Luxembourg), 75.9% (Germany) and even 81.9% (The Netherlands), Belgium is ranked 6th among the lowest scoring OECD countries, leaving only Korea, Greece, Chile, Italy and Mexico behind. ​ 

While 2 out of 3 women are working, more than 1 out of 4 (73.4%) is not working full-time. The full-time employment rate for both men (-0.3%) and women (-0.4%) is falling in Belgium. Over the last 10 years there a decline of 1.2% in male full-time employment has even been observed. ​ 

“Given our living standard, we should aim for greater labour market participation and full-time employment. Policymakers should consider the impact of certain measures on the employment behaviour of both women and men.” says Bart Van den Bussche, Reward Partner at PwC Belgium. ​ 

Van den Bussche identifies opportunities in various fields, stating: “Supporting both men and women in full-time employment yields benefits beyond offering an increased income. It also involves providing robust, full-time childcare options and facilitating additional assistance at home. Although the effects of reducing the fiscal advantages of service vouchers remain to be seen, initiatives that prioritise full-time employment while increasing individuals' comfort in pursuing it are undoubtedly beneficial.” ​ 

Additionally, the expert emphasises the importance of maintaining flexibility within the workforce. “Women are more frequently employed in sectors such as healthcare and education, which often offer limited flexibility. Parents, both men and women, employed in the healthcare sector, whose fixed working hours prevent them from collecting their children after school, may be more inclined to seek part-time positions. Policymakers may consider examining ways to provide greater flexibility for employees working in these fields.” 

About PwC’s OECD Women in Work Index 

 The PwC Women in Work Index combines five key indicators of female economic empowerment in 2023 across 33 OECD countries. The five indicators that make up the PwC Women in Work Index are: the gender wage gap, the female labour force participation rate, the gap between male and female labour force participation, the female unemployment rate and female full-time employment rate. The annual Women in Work Index uses OECD data (actuals) for calendar year 2023. 

 Read PwC’s Women in Work Index for more insights. 

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