More women remain at the margins of the job market than men. In the age range of 25 to 54, the one that coincides with the main professionally-active part of their lives, unemployed women were as many as 23.6% in 2006 (latest available figure) versus 8.1% of men. This figure has been confirmed by a Eurostat survey on employment in Europe, which shows another fact: "Family responsibilities are the main reason that drives women out of the job market". In this case, family responsibilities mean explains the experts of the EU Commission’s Statistics Office marriage and household chores, pregnancy and taking care of children, and taking care of some seriously ill relative. The figures shown by Eurostat are different from country to country. "In the 27-member EU, the rate of female unemployment is lowest in Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Austria, the United Kingdom". The same figure, which stands for the rate of women who do not work out of choice or need (or who work off the book), is highest in Romania, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Lithuania and Hungary.
