Rise of Women in Leadership Positions in Bulgaria

Women in leadership positions in Bulgaria are showing significant growth, although they are still fewer than men, the press service of the Council of Ministers reported.

The Report on Gender Equality in Bulgaria for 2024, approved by the government, shows a clear trend of increasing female representation in management echelons.

According to the document, in 2024 the number of women in leadership positions reached 79,000, representing an increase of 11,000 compared to the previous year – a growth of over 16%.

This is compelling evidence of positive dynamics, although the path to full equality remains long.

In parallel, the number of women employers is also increasing. The report registered 43,300 women managing their own businesses in 2024, which is an increase of almost 22% (7,700 people) compared to 2023.

This testifies to the increasingly active participation of women in the Bulgarian economy, occupying key positions not only as employees but also as entrepreneurs.

Despite the positive trends, the report also highlights existing inequalities. In 2023, the difference in pay between genders was 13.1% in favor of men – an indicator that requires additional efforts to overcome.

The difference in the employment rate also continues: last year it was 67.6% for women and 74.1% for men, a difference of 6.5 percentage points.

There is also a significant difference in the average monthly amount of pension for insurance period and age – 1054.36 BGN for men and 870.40 BGN for women.

Interestingly, women received a pension on average for 26.5 years, almost 7 years more than men.

Data from the report show that in 2024 the average insurance income was 1655.50 BGN, while for men it was 1696.76 BGN – 5.2% more than that of women.

This highlights the need for more effective policies aimed at reducing income inequality.

The report analyzes the implementation of policies in five key areas:

• equality in the labor market and economic independence;
• reducing the differences in pay and income;
• equality in decision-making processes;
• combating violence and supporting victims;
• and overcoming stereotypes and sexism.

BTA recalls that according to the data from the Report on Gender Equality for 2023, the number of women in leadership positions reached 68,000, with an increase of 3,200 compared to 2022.

The continued growth shows that policies to promote equality, albeit slowly, are yielding results.

However, the need for more decisive measures to overcome existing inequalities and achieve true gender equality in all spheres of life remains.