In 2026, we mark 115 years of International Women’s Day, an annual occasion to celebrate the social, economic and political achievements of women, and a reminder that progress toward gender equality requires sustained effort and commitment.

Since 1911, significant advances have been made. Women have gained better salaries, safer working conditions, stronger economic, legal and political rights, and a more balanced distribution of care responsibilities at home. Across four generations, social attitudes have evolved improving women’s lives in most countries. These achievements are the result of persistent efforts, but the progress made cannot be taken for granted, nor can it be allowed to reverse. Gender inequality still persists, and reliable data is essential to understand and monitor this reality.

Data from the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE), the Gender Equality Index, reveals that despite measurable progress, Europe will not achieve full gender equality for at least another 50 years. One of the most striking figures concerns pay. On average, women earn just 77 % of what men earn annually. Income is only one dimension of inequality, but it reflects broader imbalances in the labour market and in the distribution of unpaid domestic work. The situation across EU countries differs, with Sweden leading the ranking, Spain holding fourth place and Cyprus in the last position.

Women’s Participation in Intellectual Property

Gender gaps are also evident in the Intellectual Property (IP) field. Research by the EUIPO in 2023 has examined the role of women in design. The findings reveal a persistent gender imbalance: only 24 % of designers in the EU are women. A similar gap appears in the registration of European designs. Within the design-related occupations, women designers earn on average 13 % less than men designers.

The design sector is not an exception; studies in other IP-related and innovation areas show comparable gender gaps worldwide. Although IP gender gaps have gradually narrowed in recent years, gender parity remains far from being achieved.

These disparities are often associated with the “leaky pipeline” metaphor, whereby the number of women declines at successive stages of education and professional advancement. At each transition point, from studying science to becoming researchers or designers, advancing to senior positions, and ultimately participating in the registration of IP rights, women are disproportionately lost.

The economic benefits of closing gender gaps

Closing these identified gender gaps would benefit women and men. According to EIGE’s study “Economic Benefits of Gender Equality in the EU”, achieving greater gender equality would create significant economic gains. The positive impact on GDP would exceed the effects of labour market and education policies alone. Importantly, all Member States would benefit. Member States with greater gender gaps have the most potential to benefit economically from closing them, while even the most egalitarian countries would continue to see economic gains from further progress. Advancing toward this goal requires identifying priority areas for action, guided by robust data and analysis.

Women in leadership and decision-making

EIGE tracks progress in gender equality across six core domains: Work, Money, Knowledge, Time, Power and Health. The 2025 edition also includes two additional areas: violence against women and intersecting inequalities.

Among these domains, Power plays a pivotal role. It focuses on women’s participation in decision-making and leadership positions across politics, economic governance and social institutions. Indicators measure, for example, the shares of women on the boards of quoted companies, in parliaments and in sports organizations. This domain has seen the greatest overall progress in the past decade. Countries that have advanced most in gender equality have also improved significantly in leadership representation. Conversely, countries lagging behind in decision-making roles tend to have lower overall equality scores.

Sweden, France and Spain lead in gender balance in decision-making and leadership roles. Spain, in particular, has shown notable improvement over the past decade. Nevertheless, EIGE data illustrates remarkable national differences. In Finland, women represent 62 % of government ministers. In France, women hold 47 % of seats on the boards of the largest quoted companies and Sweden reports over 50 % female representation in sport organizations. In Spain, the corresponding figures are above 40 %. By contrast, in eight EU countries, women account for less than 20 % of ministers or board members. These differences demonstrate that equal participation in decision-making remains far from universal, revealing significant untapped potential among women leaders in the EU.

Toward a more inclusive IP system

A particularly encouraging example of gender balance can be seen at the EUIPO, where women represent close to 60 % of staff and 40 % of management positions. Even more hopeful, leadership bodies in the EUIPN, such as the Management Board and the Budget Committee, show balanced participation between women and men.

This picture reflects a meaningful commitment to equity; however, it should not lead to complacency. Visibility of women in leading positions is promising but gender gaps persist in the IP landscape, and although progress is underway, it remains too slow.

For this reason, the EUIPO has made tackling underrepresentation and fostering inclusivity within the IP system a cornerstone of its 2030 Strategic Plan (SP2030). Strengthening women’s opportunities requires targeted, evidence-based policies that identify and dismantle the structural barriers that limit women’s participation across every stage of the innovation process.

One of the related initiatives under SP2030 is the European Cooperation Project ECP5 ‘Inclusive IP Landscape’ which brings together national and regional EU IP offices and user associations to exchange ideas and develop inclusive initiatives. Its report ‘Inclusivity in IP, Business, and Innovation’, highlights the barriers faced by women across these fields and stresses the importance of better data to understand participation gaps and design effective policies.

Promoting inclusivity also means ensuring that women are visible in leadership and decision-making roles. The nomination of the Equal Opportunities Officer can further strengthen this effort by increasing the visibility of inclusiveness strategies and reinforcing their importance within institutions.

Sealing the “leaky pipeline” at every stage is critical to retaining female talent and ensuring women’s access to well-paid jobs, decision-making positions and leadership roles. When women fully participate in innovation and decision-making, society as a whole benefits. Gender equality is therefore not just a question of fairness; it is a catalyst for shared prosperity.

Source: Women’s Untapped Economic Potential in the Intellectual Property Landscape - EUIPO