March 28, 2024

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The jobs most typically male or female

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jobs most typically male or female
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In our country, there are many typically male professions and jobs that seem much more reserved for women. And this is not without consequences on the unemployment figures. It is above all men who are affected by the crisis, for the simple reason that typically male strongholds are suffering particularly, such as industry. The service sector and, with it, female unemployment, has also been taking a serious hit recently.

Currently, there are more unemployed men than women (121,164 versus 104,272). Before the crisis, the balance still tipped in favor of men and job seekers were more women than men. The crisis has overturned this situation by the fact that it is above all ‘masculine’ trades in industry which have disappeared, while the tertiary and quaternary sectors are doing better. However, this is where women often work.

Before the crisis, it was the opposite: at the end of 2007, for example, there were 78,872 unemployed men against 87,572 women. At the end of 2008, this difference had already diminished and then it was completely reversed, with men holding the palm of the unemployment figures.

More unemployed men

The rapid growth of male unemployment and the slower evolution of female unemployment lead to strong segregation on the labor market: there are many typically female or male occupations. “Women are clearly in a dominant position, among other things in non-profit and distribution,” explains Bartelijne van den Boogert, spokesperson for the VDAB.

 “The list of male sectors is dominated by construction. Despite emancipation, sociological changes and initiatives to reverse roles, male bastions and territories reserved for women remain. Typically female occupations are located in segments less sensitive to the economic situation and explain the slower increase in unemployment among women.

Due to the disappearance of trades in industry, it is mainly male unemployment that has increased. In November 2012, for example, male unemployment increased by 16.7% on an annual basis, that of women by barely 5.3%.

Caught up by women

“The gender difference in terms of the evolution of inactivity disappeared last year due to the increasing rate of unemployment among women. In November 2013, female unemployment increased more than male unemployment for the first time in years: male unemployment increased on an annual basis by 8.5%, female unemployment by 9.1%. This shows that the service sector is no longer immune to the crisis. The banking sector, among others, is hiring with caution and local and regional authorities are no longer replacing departures, ”explains Bartelijne van den Boogert, spokesperson for the VDAB.

“The evolution of inactivity among men did not drop that much in 2013 (January 2013 +9.8%, November +8.5%). Above all, it is the growing trend in female unemployment (January +1.2%, November +9.1%) which puts the growth rates of inactivity between men and women almost on par. »

But there is still a big gap between male and female unemployment figures. In November 2013, the difference is 7.4% to the detriment of men. In absolute figures, 121,164 unemployed against 104,272 unemployed women. This gap in the unemployment figures is strongly linked to the phenomenon of typically male and typically female occupations which is rampant in our country as well as to the impact of the crisis on this.

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