INTERNATIONAL POLICY ANALYSIS Gender equality in the Greek labour market The gaps narrow, inequalities persist NELLI KAMBOURI February 2013  Since the financial debt crisis in 2009 gender equality issues have been marginalised in public discourse and official policymaking processes.  Several factors – including the rise of the tertiary sector, increased numbers of women in higher education, gender mainstreaming in legislation and policies, development of the child care system and the demise of the male breadwinner model – have contributed to the rise of female participation in the Greek labour market.  Although female employment has risen significantly in recent decades, Greece still has one of the largest gender gaps in the EU with regard to labour market participa­tion, unemployment and wages.  As a result of the sovereign debt crisis and the economic recession, the unemploy­ment gender gap has narrowed, but the employment rates of older women and the unemployment rates of, in particular, younger women have risen.  The absence of gender equality objectives in the reforms and the economic adjust­ment programmes has led to the deregulation of the labour market, which has had a very negative impact on the implementation of gender equality objectives.  Gender wage gaps and discrimination against female employees is widespread in the private sector, including arbitrary dismissals and the refusal of employers to fulfil their obligations, as well as forced acceptance of changes in employment status before or after return from maternity and parental leave.