The gap between male and female unemployment across Courier Country is falling, according to the latest figures.
The statistics came in response to a parliamentary question from Rhoda Grant asking the Scottish Government for a breakdown of the unemployed by gender and local authority area.
They have sparked concerns that women are still missing out on jobs as traditionally “female employment” sectors continue to decline.
The statistics calculate the number of unemployed according to the method preferred by the UK and Scottish governments which counts the number of unemployed as per the International Labour Organisation.
In Dundee between October 2010 and September 2012 the female rate of unemployment rose overall and the male rate fell to such an extent that there were just an estimated 300 more men unemployed than women.
Between October 2010 and September 2011 the male level of unemployment was 3,700 compared to only 2,700 women but by October 2011-September 2012 the male level was estimated at 3,300 and the female level was 3,000.
Similarly in Fife the male level declined to 9,700 and the female level rose to 8,300 in the period October 2011-September 2012 while in Perth and Kinross the female rate of unemployment remained consistently above the male rate with 7.7% of women unemployed in the same period compared to 7.4% of the male working-age population.
Angus maintained the “traditional” much higher male unemployment rate with 7.8% of the male working-age population unemployed compared to just 4.4% of women.
In Clackmannanshire 15.6% of the male population over the age of 16 were unemployed compared to just 4.8% of the female population and in Stirling 10% of the men were unemployed compared to 4.5% of the women.
The Women’s Employment Summit in September blamed the rise in female unemployment on public sector job losses.