Northern Ireland has been ranked number one among the nations and regions in the UK for women's employment outcomes, according to PwC's latest Women in Work Index.

The annual index of OECD countries, which uses 2021 data and also looks at the UK's 12 nations and regions, found that Northern Ireland has moved up three places to the number one spot in the UK regional index to overtake the South West which had been the top-performing region for three years consecutively. The South West now drops into second place, while Scotland remains third, unchanged from last year.

Northern Ireland also boasts the smallest gender pay gap (only 5% in NI versus 14.4% UK wide), and a higher female full-time employment rate than most (the third best across the UK at 64%). However, it has the lowest female labour force participation rate (70%) of all nations and regions in the UK (74.6% UK wide).

The Index also shows the participation rate gap between men and women in NI is 5% – only marginally higher than South West which is the best performer on this indicator. This suggests that participation as a whole might be the larger point of concern in Northern Ireland as opposed to participation by women specifically.

Cat McCusker, Regional Market Leader at PwC Northern Ireland, said: "While it is positive that the outcomes for women once they enter the labour market in Northern Ireland – in terms of pay and secure full-time jobs – are much better than other regions, the fact remains that a lower proportion of working age women enter the labour market here in the first place.

"Looking forward, this means there are likely to be significant 'hidden pockets' of talent in NI – including women who have not been active in the labour market. We need to consider how we can revitalise our working population by getting more women and men into the workforce here in the first place. This is a question of equity but also a pertinent economic issue as NI faces labour and skill shortages.

"There is no panacea, nor a one size fits all policy, that will solve the problems for women at work today. The cost of – and attitudes towards – childcare needs urgent focus and action, with government and business working together to help mitigate the confluence of shocks – including Covid-19 and the rising cost of living – that have occurred over the last few years so that women are not priced out of the workforce. For many it is more affordable to leave work than remain in employment and pay for childcare, especially for families at lower income levels.

"We should consider enhanced parental leave policies and more flexible working so that all parents can balance work and caring responsibilities, alongside tackling the cost of childcare, to help create a more equitable and prosperous society for all."