Women's Day: increasing opportunities and government support for women in Hungary
The family policy and tax reduction measures introduced by the government in recent years have contributed significantly to further improving opportunities and living conditions for women in Hungary. The expansion of family support, the reduction of the tax burden on mothers, and measures to promote employment and home ownership have together strengthened the labor market, social and financial situation of women, according to the latest analysis by the Mária Kopp Institute for Demography and Families (KINCS). Based on labor market, health, education, public life and family support indicators, Hungary continues to rank among the top countries in the EU in terms of opportunities for women.
One of the most important achievements of recent years is the large-scale family tax reduction program, which focuses on mothers. Thanks to this program, the infant care fee and the child care fee became tax-free in 2025, so today, in a way that is unique in Europe, mothers receive more money during the infant care period than prior to maternity leave. The amount of the family tax credit has doubled, and from autumn 2025, all women with three children, and from January 2026, all women under 30 with one child and all women under 40 with two children also enjoy personal income tax exemption, which will be extended to all mothers with two children in the coming years.
In 2021, KINCS compiled the Women's Opportunities Index, which compares opportunities available to women in the European Union in terms of the labor market, education, healthcare, public life and family support. Based on the 2021 ranking, Hungary tied with Finland for second place behind Sweden. Following the update of the data, it is clear that the situation of Hungarian women and mothers has continued to improve in recent years, while stagnation or unfavorable developments can be observed in several EU member states.
In Hungary, women's participation in the labor market has been one of the most striking positive changes in recent years. According to Eurostat data, the employment rate for women aged 20-64 rose from 73.6 percent to 77.1 percent between 2021 and 2024, continuing to exceed the EU average. Furthermore, Hungary continues to be among the countries with the lowest unemployment rates, and the proportion of women in leadership positions has also improved.
Significant progress has also been made in the field of education. The proportion of women of working age (25-64) with higher education qualifications rose from 30.3 percent to 36.5 percent between 2019 and 2024. Today, six out of ten recent graduates and more than 50 percent of PhD students are women. The presence of women in public life and the judiciary has also strengthened: by 2024, the proportion of female members of parliament had risen to 14.6 percent, and women had become the majority in the Supreme Court.
Health indicators have also improved. The average life expectancy of Hungarian women at birth and the number of years spent in good health have both increased, with the latter rising by almost three years, from 61.8 to 64.6 years. The rate of improvement is also significant in European comparison: Hungarian women and mothers can expect to spend more years in good health than women in 18 other member states, which is reinforced by the operation of the Hungarian health visitor network, which is unique at the international level.
The situation of Hungarian women has therefore improved in all important areas in recent years. Employment has increased, participation in education and science has strengthened, the number of years spent in good health has improved, while the government's family policy measures are helping mothers more and more every year. Together, these measures contribute to broadening opportunities for women, strengthening their financial security, and reducing gender inequalities and wage gaps.
Further information: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. www.koppmariaintezet.hu
