In Lithuania, equal rights and opportunities for women and men are enshrined in the Law on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men (1998). The Law forbids any discrimination – direct and indirect – on the grounds of sex, harassment on the grounds of sex, sexual harassment, and an instruction to discriminate against persons directly or indirectly on the grounds of sex. The Law sets out preconditions for gender mainstreaming. All State and municipal institutions and agencies must ensure that equal rights for women and men are ensured in all the legal acts drafted and enacted by them; must draw up and implement programmes and measures aimed at ensuring equal opportunities for women and men and, in the manner prescribed by laws, must support the programmes of public establishments, associations and charitable foundations which assist in implementing equal opportunities for women and men.
In 2015, the Lithuanian Ministry of Social Security and Labour approved the fourth National Programme on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men 2015–2021 and its Action Plan. In 2023, the action plan was improved and approved for a new period, till 2025. The strategic goal of the Programme was the consistent, complex, and systematic promotion of equality between women and men and the elimination of discrimination between women and men in all areas. The objectives of the programme are to promote equal opportunities for women and men in the field of employment and occupation; balance the involvement of women and men in decision-making and holding the top posts; and improve the effectiveness of institutional mechanisms for the advancement of gender equality.
All these objectives are relevant in the field of culture. However, the Lithuanian Ministry of Culture does not have any specific measures (quota schemas or mainstreaming programmes) for ensuring equal opportunities for women and men in the field of culture.
According to the data of the State Data Agency, the Lithuanian cultural sector employs more women than men, but women earn 10–12% less than men.
Table 6: Average number of employees by sex in the economic activity sector of art, entertainment and recreation, and gender pay gap in unadjusted form in the same sector in 2016–2023
|
|
Year Sex |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
Number of employees (in persons) working in art, entertainment and recreation sector |
Females |
17 307 |
17 565 |
17 493 |
17 484 |
17 080 |
16 713 |
16 882 |
17 100 |
|
Males |
9 985 |
10 212 |
9 997 |
9 848 |
9 759 |
9 701 |
9 778 |
9 906 |
|
|
Gender pay gap in unadjusted form by NACE Rev. 2 activity: arts, entertainment and recreation |
|
13.5 |
12.2 |
14.4 |
11.5 |
9.8 |
8.4 |
6.8 |
11.4 |
Source: Official Statistic Portal
Women and men are not evenly represented in top positions of national and state cultural organisations. In 2025, women headed 30 of 63 national and state cultural institutions (museums, theatres, libraries, commission, councils etc.). Considering that almost twice as many women as men work in the cultural sector, this distribution of leadership positions indicates unequal career opportunities for men and women.
Also, women are underrepresented in the pursuit of National Award for Culture and Arts. This award is the most prestigious award in Lithuania and artists receive it for their long-term creative contribution to the Lithuanian culture and art. Despite the fact that a greater percentage of women work in the arts and culture sector, they are nominated for the award far less often than men. Since 1989, women have accounted for only 20% of all creators who received the National Award. In 1991, 1992, 1994, 1995, 2002, 2012 and 2013, the national award in the fields of culture and arts was granted to men exceptionally. Only three times, in 2008, 2017, 2019, and 2023, more women than men received this award. In 2025, women accounted for 30% of all National Prize laureates.
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