Segregation means separation and differentiation on a certain basis. Gender segregation in work and education means the division of jobs, activities and educational choices into women’s and men’s jobs and professions.
Horizontal gender segregation refers to a situation where women dominate some activities or occupations while men dominate others.
For example, the horizontal segregation of the labour market is characterised by the fact that men dominate in the construction sector (over 93%), whilst in the health and social welfare sector, men account for less than 9% and women for over 91% of employees. (Statistics Estonia)
Vertical gender segregation means that, for example, whilst women may outnumber men in a particular area of life, their positions are often limited to lower-ranked positions. This means that in working life, men move higher up in the hierarchy than women.
For example, nearly 80% of educators are women, but school principals are predominantly men.
If you feel that you’ve been treated unequally, please contact the Equality Commissioner by e-mail at avaldus@volinik.ee or telephone +372 626 9059. The anonymity of the person is guaranteed when contacting the Commissioner.
