The income gap between male and female self-employed workers with main occupations has decreased by 30% over the past 20 years in Belgium.
This is according to Acerta’s analysis of figures from the National Institute for Social Security of the Self-Employed (INASTI) released on Friday.
Despite this progress, self-employed women with main occupations still earn an average of €7,700 less per year than their male counterparts.
This reduction in the income gap is evident across several sectors, although the impact varies. Notably, liberal professions have significantly influenced this change.
In this sector, the income gap decreased by 48.7%, from €19,781 at the end of 2001 to €10,157 at the end of 2021.
"Male self-employed workers with main occupations have an average income of €32,012, while women earn an average of €24,342, resulting in a difference of over €7,700," explains Ronan Kermer, an expert in start-ups and self-employment at Acerta.
"The average across all self-employed main occupation workers is €29,462. There are significant variations between sectors: those in liberal professions tend to earn more than those in commerce or hospitality," Kermer explained.
According to the Acerta expert, the evolving income dynamics between men and women are due to a "shift in mindset."
Professions like doctors, lawyers, and architects have seen an increase in female participation. Furthermore, more men in these fields are seeking a work-life balance, taking on other responsibilities at the expense of professional time and income.
"For women, the opposite trend is true," he adds.
