MamaSHIFT Needs Analysis: Key Findings on Women’s Labour Market Reintegration
Between September and December 2025, a group of organisations from the European Union and the Western Balkans, brought together by a shared interest in improving women’s labour market participation, conducted a joint cross-country needs analysis. The organisations involved include Trexima (SK), Novus (SI), Rovnovážka (CZ), Timbi (IE), Zenos (BA), Srednja škola Stolac (BA), Employment Agency of Montenegro – EAM (ME), Lilium Digital (BA), and Universum International College (XK).
👉 Full Needs Analysis available here: MamaSHIFT Analysis
Key Needs Identified
Structural barriers to labour market participation
Across all countries, women—particularly mothers—face persistent structural barriers, including unequal distribution of care responsibilities, limited access to childcare services, and insufficient availability of flexible working arrangements. These factors significantly affect their ability to enter or re-enter the labour market.
Impact of career interruptions
Extended maternity and parental leave contribute to long career breaks, resulting in skills depreciation and reduced competitiveness. Women returning to work often face difficulties adapting to rapidly changing labour market demands, particularly in relation to digital skills.
Lack of flexible and tailored VET provision
Vocational education and training systems are largely not adapted to the needs of women in career transition. Training programmes are often rigid, classroom-based, and delivered at fixed times, making participation difficult for those with caregiving responsibilities. There is a clear need for more flexible, modular and accessible learning formats.
Mismatch between training and labour market realities
While labour markets increasingly offer flexible employment pathways such as freelancing, remote work, and self-employment, training systems do not sufficiently prepare women for these opportunities. There is a lack of targeted support for entrepreneurship, digital work, and alternative career paths.
Limited access to skills, finance, and networks
Women in career transition often lack access to key competences such as business planning, financial literacy, and digital skills. In addition, access to finance, mentoring, and professional networks remains limited, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Fragmented and insufficient support systems
Existing employment and training measures are often generic and not specifically designed for mothers returning to the labour market. Support systems are frequently fragmented, with limited coordination between VET providers, employment services, and other stakeholders.
Conclusion
The needs analysis confirms that women returning to the labour market face a complex combination of structural, institutional, and individual barriers that are consistent across different national contexts. Despite variations in policy frameworks and labour market conditions, the core challenges remain highly similar.
There is a clear and consistent need for more flexible, accessible, and targeted support systems that reflect the realities of women’s lives, particularly in relation to caregiving responsibilities and non-linear career paths. At the same time, existing VET and employment support structures require stronger alignment with evolving labour market trends, including digitalisation and flexible forms of work.
Addressing these needs is essential not only for improving gender equality, but also for enabling more inclusive and resilient labour markets across both EU and Western Balkan regions.