Job insecurity has a woman's face: only 32% of stable, permanent contracts are held by women.

PalmData from 2025 confirms that the labor market in the Balearic Islands continues to penalize women simply for being women. According to the 'Women's Report 2026' by the CCOO union in the Balearic Islands, only 31.9% of permanent, full-time, and stable contracts were held by women, while men accounted for 68.6%. This situation shows that, despite the economic and social progress of recent years, true equality is still a long way off. This data does not include seasonal contracts. This inequality is also reflected in temporary employment. Of all working women, almost 24% work part-time, nearly double the rate for men (12.5%). The combination of temporary contracts and part-time work directly results in lower wages, difficulties in career advancement, and worse working conditions. Conversely, men hold the majority of permanent, full-time contracts, reinforcing a gap that persists throughout their working lives.

The figures on the inactive population are equally revealing. Of the 383,000 inactive people in the Canary Islands, 216,100 are women, representing 56.42% of the total. Of these, 15.5% are homemakers, compared to only 3.89% of men. This difference highlights the persistence of a patriarchal culture that places women in a much more disadvantaged position in the labor market, with domestic responsibilities that limit their participation. The gaps are also significant when broken down by age. Female participation is higher among those aged 25 to 34, but drops drastically between 35 and 44 and between 45 and 54, coinciding with the years when many women take on the care of children and elderly relatives. This double burden impacts not only career paths but also the accumulation of social security benefits and future pensions.

Education and training, often considered equalizers, do not eliminate workplace inequality. The report shows that, with the same level of education, women face greater difficulties accessing the labor market and experience higher unemployment rates than men, especially at the secondary level. This educational gap contributes to perpetuating a situation of economic disadvantage throughout their professional lives.

Significantly lower pension

Inequality becomes more visible with age and at retirement. In 2025, women received an average pension of €1,156 per month, €428 less than men, who received €1,584. Furthermore, fewer women (63,216) retired than men (77,471), and the difference in permanent disability pensions was €103 per month in favor of men. Thus, the gender pay gap translates into accumulated inequality that accompanies women throughout their lives. The 2025 data also reveal that women continue to be concentrated in sectors with less stability and worse working conditions. Part-time and fixed-term contracts, common in the restaurant, retail, and service sectors, remain predominantly held by women. All of this places women in a structurally more vulnerable position, with fewer opportunities for advancement and a greater risk of future poverty.

María's story exemplifies this reality. A trained worker, she strings together temporary and part-time contracts, shouldering the double burden of housework, and upon retirement, her pension is significantly lower than that of her male colleague, despite having performed the same work. Cases like hers demonstrate that the gender pay gap is not merely a statistic, but a reality that affects the daily lives of thousands of women. Experts and unions agree that, without concrete measures such as equal pay policies, work-life balance programs, and incentives for hiring women, these gaps will continue to shape the working and social lives of women in the Canary Islands. Meanwhile, precarious employment and inequality continue to disproportionately affect women, despite promises of equality and socioeconomic progress that seem yet to materialize.