The holiday season, often a time for celebration, also serves as a lens through which gender roles and inequalities come into focus. A recent survey by Citadele Bank reveals that in 49% of families, women bear the primary responsibility for holiday preparations, while only 4% of families assign this role to men. In 32% of households, these tasks are shared equally. This imbalance reflects broader societal challenges that women face, from unequal distribution of domestic responsibilities to underrepresentation in business leadership and decision-making roles.
In response, Citadele Bank is proud to announce a collaboration with Novatore, a leading organization dedicated to women's economic empowerment, to address these challenges holistically. The partnership seeks to create a pathway for women to thrive both personally and professionally, tackling systemic barriers and advocating for change.
Survey Highlights: A Reflection of Societal Disparities
The survey underscores stark differences among the Baltic states. In Lithuania, 65% of families report women handling most holiday preparations, compared to 41% in Estonia. Across the region, the 30-39 age group stands out, with 57% of women taking on holiday responsibilities alone. This mirrors broader struggles for work-life balance, career advancement, and economic equity.
Rūta Ežerskienė, CEO and Chairwoman of Citadele Bank, notes: "The survey findings are a microcosm of a larger issue: the disproportionate demands placed on women in various aspects of life, from domestic responsibilities to professional aspirations. Addressing this imbalance is not only essential for gender equality but also for fostering sustainable growth in our societies. Through our partnership with Novatore, we aim to create a supportive ecosystem that empowers women to lead and succeed in all facets of life."
To achieve significant changes, Novatore highlights the need to address gender inequality systematically and comprehensively. This involves encouraging women to be more confident, urging companies to actively promote women's career development, and ensuring more equal representation of women in leadership positions at the national level, as well as reducing pay disparities.
"Inequality has deep roots, but today, as women are increasingly active in the labor market in leading and earning positions, household and family duties must be equally shared. Solving this problem requires joint efforts at all levels because existing inequality significantly affects women's well-being. Women find themselves in a vicious cycle—spending more time on household duties leaves less time for work and professional growth, making women financially more vulnerable and at greater risk of poverty. According to Novatore's Gender Equality Barometer data, half of Latvia's population acknowledges that there is no gender equality in the division of daily duties in family life, but 82% believe it is possible. This inspires hope that positive changes in women's economic empowerment are achievable," says Dagnija Lejiņa, co-founder of Novatore.
Broader Impacts of Equal Opportunity
Through this partnership, Citadele Bank and Novatore will focus on addressing systemic barriers and fostering professional growth for women. Initiatives will include various activities. By encouraging a more balanced division of household responsibilities, the collaboration seeks to enable women to unlock their full potential, benefitting families and communities alike.