More than 1.3 million women in Romania are classified as homemakers, and the employment rate for women aged 20 to 64 stands at 59.5%, compared to the European average of 71.3%, according to the 'Unrealized Romania' ('România nevalorificată') study, presented on Tuesday by Cristina Chiriac, president of the National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF).

'1,327,000 women are registered with the occupational status of 'homemaker.' In labor market statistics, they fall into a broader category: the economically inactive population. 1,300,000 individuals work daily, raising children, caring for parents, and managing households, all without generating a wage, social security contributions, or pension entitlements. This is not because their work lacks economic value, but because it goes unmeasured; and what is not measured is not valued, and what is not valued is lost,' stated Cristina Chiriac at the launch event for the research study *Unrealized Romania: Female Human Capital Between Performance and Inequality*.

According to this, Romania ranks third in the European Union in terms of the share of women in entrepreneurship, but as of 2025, it stood in second place regarding the employment gap between women and men, at 18.7 percentage points, compared to the European average of 9.6 percentage points.

'Women enter the system with better academic credentials than men. They constitute the majority at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral levels. They rank first in the European Union in terms of their share among STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) graduates. Yet, they emerge from the system with lower salaries, smaller pensions, and more fragile businesses. Something is lost between the point of entry and the point of exit. Research can determine where, to what extent, and at what stage this occurs. First and foremost, Romania does not suffer from a deficit of female human capital; rather, it faces a 'conversion deficit.' This distinction is not merely academic. A deficit in human capital is addressed through education, a process that takes at least a generation. A conversion deficit, by contrast, is addressed through institutional architecture and can be measured year by year,' explained the president of CONAF.

Regarding education, research shows that Romania ranks first in the European Union in terms of the share of women among graduates in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), at 42.1%; however, this result is not reflected to the same extent in labor market participation.

'In terms of education and training, Romania ranks first in the European Union for the share of women among STEM graduates, at 42.1%. At the same time, ICT (Information and Communication Technology) professionals, men and women combined, as separate research data were not available, account for only 2.7% of total employment, one of the lowest shares in Europe. While these indicators measure different things, looking at them side by side highlights the need to examine more closely the path between acquiring a qualification and its economic utilization. Regarding labor market participation, the employment rate for women aged 20 to 64 is 59.5%, compared to the European average of 71.3%. This 11.8% gap translates to a shortfall of approximately 643,000 women,' stated Cristina Chiriac.

The president of CONAF explained that family responsibilities, a lack of care services, and the costs associated with them represent obstacles to employment for many women.

'First of all, the vast majority of women who have chosen to identify as homemakers face various challenges. Either they have no one with whom to leave their children at home, or there are not enough educational facilities, and here I am referring to rural areas, or the income they would earn by working for a company at the national minimum wage would not cover the cost of childcare (such as private nurseries or kindergartens). Furthermore, some may have children with disabilities or health issues, elderly relatives in their care, or simply face a lack of economic opportunities,' she stated.

The research estimates the economic value of unpaid labor at 150-336 billion lei annually, equivalent to approximately 9%-19% of Romania's 2024 GDP, though these figures do not represent actual lost tax revenue.

'For a reference population of approximately six million women aged between 15 and 64, this results in an imputed economic value of between 150 and 336 billion lei annually,' indicated Cristina Chiriac.

Regarding income, the analysis indicates an average monthly difference in gross earnings of 432 lei between women and men, while the gap in old-age pensions has reached 1,270 lei per month.

'In terms of income, the average difference in gross earnings is 432 lei per month. In aggregate, over a 40-year working life, this amounts to 13.6 billion lei. Furthermore, if we multiply that 432 lei by 40 years, it results in a loss of 207,360 lei for women; for specialists, the loss is significantly higher, 820,800 lei. Regarding economic initiative, data from the ONRC (National Trade Register Office - Ed.) reveal a representation gap of 234,762 women, who are partners or shareholders, relative to a gender-balanced structure,' stated the president of CONAF.

To address the identified gaps, the research proposes ten measures, nine of which have an estimated annual cost of between 2.9 and 3.51 billion lei during the implementation phase.

'Specifically, we are calling for 10 measures. Nine of these are detailed in a matrix of measures that includes institutional responsibilities, deadlines, and cost estimates. The 10th concerns the fair taxation of part-time work, for which the fiscal impact and implementation mechanisms require a separate assessment,' stated Cristina Chiriac.


The proposals include expanding the capacity of public nurseries, facilitating access to financing for female entrepreneurs, certifying pay equity, and recognizing caregiving periods for the purpose of calculating pensions.

'Romania does not have a problem with its potential; it has a problem with how that potential is harnessed, and the difference between the two is that the former would require a generation, while the latter requires a decision,' added the president of CONAF.

The National Confederation for Female Entrepreneurship (CONAF) presented on Tuesday the results of the research study 'Unrealized Romania - Female Human Capital: Between Performance and Inequality,' which analyzes women's participation in the economy and the value of unpaid labor. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Nicoleta Banciulea; EN - writing by: Catalin Cristian Trandafir)