Bulgaria Gender Landscape : 2025 Update

Overview & Synopsis

This report highlights gradual progress in gender equality alongside persistent structural gaps relative to EU standards. Bulgaria’s Gender Equality Index has improved but remains below the EU average, with notable weaknesses in income and health dimensions. In human capital, girls outperform boys in learning-adjusted outcomes and survival rates, though overall levels for both remain among the lowest in the EU. Education trends show declining primary and secondary enrollment but strong tertiary participation for women, including in some male-dominated fields. Labor force participation has increased for both genders, yet disparities persist, especially for women with caregiving responsibilities, reflecting limited childcare access and unequal unpaid work burdens. Women also face wage gaps, occupational segregation, and underrepresentation in leadership, despite relatively strong female participation in management. Poverty remains gendered, with women more exposed to chronic poverty and vulnerable household structures. While Bulgaria has established legal and policy frameworks to promote gender equality, implementation gaps remain, particularly in addressing gender-based violence, political representation, and social norms. Vulnerable groups, notably Roma women, face compounded disadvantages, underscoring the need for targeted and inclusive policy interventions.