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Dutch Women’s Economic Independence Stalls at 70% in 2024, CBS Says

A sharp 2023 minimum‑wage increase raised the social‑assistance benchmark and curbed further gains.

Overview

  • Men remained at 83%, and CBS defines economic independence as net earnings at least equal to social assistance, set at €1,295 per month in 2024.
  • CBS reports that neither the share of people working nor the average workweek changed materially from a year earlier.
  • Municipal gaps persist, with Urk showing the widest divide at 89% of men versus 60% of women meeting the threshold.
  • Women’s rates are highest in Zoeterwoude at 79.3% and Bunnik at 79.1%, while several Zuidoost‑Limburg municipalities and Pekela and Urk rank among the lowest.
  • Among those not meeting the threshold, 30% of women and 26% of men do have jobs but earn less than the assistance level.