Nearly Half of North African-Origin Women in Belgium Are Not Working or Seeking Jobs
In Belgium, 49.5% of women of North African origin are inactive, compared with 22.7% of women of Belgian origin. A study by Ghent University reveals a considerable gap in the labor market, affecting people of Moroccan origin in particular.
The figures appear in a report published on November 3 by Ghent University. Based on 2025 data from Belgium’s statistics institute, Statbel, the analysis covers people aged 20 to 64. The North African category includes people of Moroccan, Algerian and Tunisian origin, including those born in Belgium to parents from these countries.
The gap between women and men is particularly pronounced. Among people of North African origin, 49.5% of women are inactive, compared with 26.1% of men. Among people of Belgian origin, the figures are 22.7% and 17%, respectively. The difference between women in the two groups is therefore 26.8 percentage points.
The researchers distinguish this situation from unemployment. Inactive people are those who have no job and are not considered jobseekers in the statistical sense. Some are pursuing their studies, while others have family responsibilities or health problems. This category also includes people who are not immediately available to work.
A significant gap in Flanders too
The figures remain high in Flanders, Belgium’s economically dynamic region. Among women of North African origin, 43% are inactive, compared with 20.5% of women of Belgian origin. Among men of North African origin, the figure is 26.5%.
Differences also appear in the employment rate for men and women overall. Across Belgium, 52.4% of people of North African origin aged 20 to 64 are working, compared with 77.4% of those of Belgian origin. In Flanders, the figures are 58.6% and 80.1%.
On Bladi.net : In Brussels, a Moroccan name and being over 50: the profile most disadvantaged in hiring
The report also examines discrimination in hiring. A review of six Belgian studies conducted between 2010 and 2024 shows that applicants perceived as being of North African or Middle Eastern origin receive, on average, 26.7% fewer positive responses than applicants from the majority group with comparable qualifications. The findings are based on recruitment tests using fictitious applications and measuring employers’ initial responses.
